{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,31]],"date-time":"2025-12-31T17:05:58Z","timestamp":1767200758796,"version":"3.48.0"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,30]],"date-time":"2025-12-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767052800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Children"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The appropriate identification of target patients for methylxanthine therapy may optimize resource allocation and improve clinical outcomes, but data on routine care in low-resource settings are limited. Our study assessed methylxanthine use in clinical practice in two Sub-Saharan settings. Methods: This retrospective, registry-based study investigated methylxanthine use in newborns who were admitted to Tosamaganga Hospital (Tanzania) and Wolisso Hospital (Ethiopia) in 2022\u20132023. The prevalence and type of methylxanthine treatment were investigated. Neonates receiving methylxanthine were compared to those not receiving it in terms of baseline characteristics, clinical data, treatments, and discharge information. All data were retrieved from local registries. Results: Aminophylline was administered to 196\/1674 neonates (11.7%), while caffeine was not available in these settings. This treatment was more common in preterm and smaller infants (p &lt; 0.0001), asphyxiated neonates (p &lt; 0.0001), and the sickest patients (p &lt; 0.001). The need for respiratory support (p &lt; 0.0001), intravenous lines (p &lt; 0.0001), and antibiotic therapy (p &lt; 0.0001), as well as the length of hospital stay (p &lt; 0.0001) and mortality rate (p &lt; 0.0001), were higher in neonates receiving aminophylline. Conclusions: In two Sub-Saharan settings, methylxanthine treatment was limited to aminophylline, which was given to around 12% of infants admitted to the special care units. Overall, the treatment was appropriately given to most eligible neonates, although a considerable subgroup of very preterm infants did not receive aminophylline prophylaxis. Further studies may investigate the reasons for protocol incompliance regarding aminophylline treatment and healthcare staff\u2019s opinions on such an aspect.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/children13010054","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,31]],"date-time":"2025-12-31T16:34:23Z","timestamp":1767198863000},"page":"54","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Methylxanthine Treatment in Neonates Admitted to the Special Care Unit: An Observational Study in Low-Resource Settings"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Martina","family":"Borellini","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Iringa P.O. Box 11, Tanzania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0831-3971","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesco","family":"Cavallin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Statistician, 36020 Solagna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nasri","family":"Mfaume","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Tosamaganga Regional Referral Hospital, Iringa P.O. Box 11, Tanzania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-9423-885X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eleni Hagos","family":"Giday","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Wolisso P.O. Box 250, Ethiopia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tarikua","family":"Endrias","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"St. Luke Catholic Hospital and College of Nursing and Midwifery, Wollisso P.O. Box 250, Ethiopia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jiksa","family":"Tolera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"St. Luke Catholic Hospital and College of Nursing and Midwifery, Wollisso P.O. Box 250, Ethiopia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8041-8989","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paolo","family":"Belardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Iringa P.O. Box 11, Tanzania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Fabio","family":"Manenti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctors with Africa CUAMM, 35121 Padua, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0256-1744","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanni","family":"Putoto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctors with Africa CUAMM, 35121 Padua, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7177-3594","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luigi","family":"Pisani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Precision-Regenerative Medicine and Jonic Area (DiMePRe-J), Section of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University of Bari \u201cAldo Moro\u201d, 70121 Bari, Italy"},{"name":"Mahidol Oxford Tropical Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok 10400, Thailand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6462-0079","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniele","family":"Trevisanuto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Woman\u2019s and Child\u2019s Health, University of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"(2025, August 22). 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