The Evidence-based Neonatology conference - we will be back!

Ten days have passed since the conference Evidence-based Neonatology closed, and all speakers and delegates travelled back to their 35 countries. We have not yet received the results from the course evaluation, but I believe the conference was a great success! At least, many delegates and speakers told us that it was!

I hope we will not disappoint the many delegates who asked for the 2nd EBNEO conference...

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I am very happy we managed to make EBNEO happen. Our original plan was to house the conference at a venue in the archipelago. However, in March when we had to make the definite booking, the number of delegates was far from enough to make the event possible. And, I hereby admit... it was close that we cancelled the whole thing... but we decided to move meeting to Karolinska university hospital. "The rest is history"

Personal impressions and reflections from these days:

(if you feel uncertain about what I mean, see the conference at http://webbtv.nu/ebneo2011)

• Textbooks are out, Internet is the new cool
  
• Diagnostic tests for sepsis - there is no Holy grail. (but a combo of CRP, IL-8, and six other markers might do part of the trick)
  
• Catheter-related infections CAN be prevented.
  
• Hyperbilirubinemia is difficult to pronounce many times in a row, but it is important to have clear instructions how to handle it.
  
• CPAP is good for preterm infants. And surfactant too.
  
• Individual patient data meta-analysis, sounds boring but is a really cool tool!
  
• Hypothermia is safe and prevents brain injuries in some, but 50% of cooled babies still have an adverse outcome.
  
• Better drugs for treatment of neonatal seizures are needed.
  
• Inotropes starting on D are commonly used, but maybe we should use these drugs in alphabetical order instead. (adrenalin...)
  
• PDA treatment: there is no jury out. Yet.
  
• Oxygenation - don't use to much (term infant), AND don't use too little (preterm infants).
  
• Prevent BPD - and you don't need to treat it.
  
• iNO in preterm infants: so much effort into the EUNO study for... nada.
  
• Want to reduce NEC - travel to Japan!
  
• Prevent pain. If this is not possible, treat it well!
  
• ROP? www.winrop.com
  
• Does family-centered care make dads sad?
  
• Questionnaire on priorities - it is important to know what the parents are thinking.
  
• Neonatal research idea? Think big! Think together!