#431 - [Journal Club] - 📌 Should We Stop Routine Car Seat Testing for Preterm Infants?

from The Incubator's Journal Club · host Ben Courchia MD & Daphna Yasova Barbeau MD

In this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a systematic review and meta-analysis from JAMA Network Open questioning the clinical value of predischarge car seat tolerance screening (CSTS). Driven by data suggesting that testing does not reduce 30-day mortality or hospital readmissions, they discuss the high failure rates, varying definitions of bradycardia and desaturation, and the unintended consequence of prolonged NICU stays. They also highlight the practical reality of CSTS in ensuring parents actually have an appropriate car seat at discharge. Tune in for a critical look at whether this 1991 AAP recommendation still holds up today!----Predischarge Car Seat Tolerance Screening in Preterm and At-Risk Full-Term Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. King BC, Dalvie N, Hay S, Jensen EA, Zupancic JAF.JAMA Netw Open. 2026 Feb 2;9(2):e2558197. doi:0.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.58197. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.Enjoy!