Many normal pregnant women residing at moderate altitude have lower arterial oxygen saturations than expected

Domestic cattle have limited cardiopulmonary reserve for their body size and oxygen requirements. Therefore, it is plausible that impaired alveolar-arterial gas exchange may be detrimental to energetically expensive traits such as milk production which, like all aerobic processes, requires oxygen. The degree of alveolar-arterial oxygen transfer impairment can be determined by estimating the alveolar-arterial oxygen (A-a O2) pressure gradient from arterial blood-gas tensions. The degree of oxygen transfer impairment is proportional to the A-a O2pressure gradient: the higher the A-a O2pressure gradient the less oxygen is transferred to the blood for a given ventilation rate. In this study two cohorts of Holstein-Friesian heifers were followed on one northern Colorado dairy farm. Arterial blood-gas analyses were performed up to 9 d post-calving. Heifers were grouped into quartiles based on A-a O2pressure gradient so that relative comparisons could be made. Heifers in the lowest (Q1) and highest (Q4) quartile had the least and greatest impairment of alveolar-arterial oxygen transfer, respectively. We hypothesised that milk yield over 60 d would be greatest for heifers in Q1and would decrease with quartile increments. Hyperventilation, as indicated by hypocapnia, was notable. Despite hypoxia, haematocrit was low. Alveolar-arterial O2pressure gradient was associated with milk production (P=0·03) when controlling for cohort, treatment for disease and calving difficulty score. Heifers in Q1produced 1992 kg (95% CI=1858, 2127 kg) of milk when controlling for all other variables. Relative to heifers in Q1, heifers in Q2, Q3and Q4produced 130 kg (95% CI=313, −52 kg; P=0·45), 285 kg (95% CI=474, 96 kg; P=0·004) and 169 kg (95% CI=395, −57 kg; P=0.14) less milk, respectively. In conclusion, efficacy of alveolar-arterial oxygen transfer was associated with milk yield in dairy heifers on one farm at moderate altitude.

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Neonatal Outcomes of Pregnant Women With Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019: One-Year Experience of a Tertiary Care Center

Clinical Pediatrics ◽

10.1177/00099228211059886 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 000992282110598

Author(s):

Nuriye Asli Melekoglu ◽

Halis Ozdemir ◽

Seyma Yasar

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Care Center ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

University Hospital ◽

Arterial Oxygen ◽

Important Public Health Problem ◽

Positive Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Significant Difference

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic became an important public health problem affecting all age groups. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical and laboratory findings of newborns born to mothers with COVID-19. Thirty pregnant women with COVID-19 were admitted to Turgut Ozal University Hospital for delivery. Fourteen pregnant women had at least one symptom associated with COVID-19. Positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results were seen in only 3 (9.7%) of 31 newborns. A statistically significant difference was observed between PCR-positive and PCR-negative newborns in terms of any adverse pregnancy outcomes. Neonatal lymphocyte count and partial arterial oxygen pressure were significantly lower in the PCR-positive group. Results were also compared according to the interval from the maternal diagnosis time to delivery. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels in newborns born to mothers diagnosed more than 7 days before delivery were significantly lower. Neonates born to mothers with COVID-19 had mild clinical symptoms and favorable outcomes.

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