Free thyroxin measured in dried blood spots from normal, low-birth-weight, and hypothyroid neonates

1991 ◽  
Vol 37 (12) ◽  
pp. 2114-2117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Françoise Lemonnier ◽  
Joëlle Masson ◽  
Dominique Laroche ◽  
Josette Travert ◽  
Georges Travert

Abstract We have adapted a new radioimmunoassay for free thyroxin (FT4) measurement in dried blood spots for use in neonatal screening for hypothyroidism. The method is easy, fast, and cheap. Within-assay and between-assay CVs are respectively 9.6% and 13.2%. In 997 neonates three days postpartum with normal thyrotropin concentrations, the mean FT4 concentration was 27.2 pmol/L (SD 7.3 pmol/L). There was no significant difference in mean FT4 concentration between boys and girls. FT4 concentrations increased linearly with birth weight or with gestational age, as expressed by multiple linear regression: FT4 (pmol/L) = 0.0016 birth weight (g) + 0.6931 gestational age (weeks) − 4.8772. Only gestational age significantly affected the FT4 value. For five hypothyroid infants tested on day three postpartum, FT4 values were all below the 1st percentile of values from healthy neonates. Thus, when the neonatal concentration of thyrotropin is above normal, FT4 measured in the same sample can provide a reliable earlier diagnosis of hypothyroidism.

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 572-577
Author(s):  
David N. Greenberg ◽  
Bradley A. Yoder ◽  
Reese H. Clark ◽  
Clifford A. Butzin ◽  
Donald M. Null

Previous studies suggest that low birth weight black infants have less morbidity and birth-weight-specific mortality during the perinatal period than low birth weight white infants. We studied the effect of maternal race on outcome in preterm infants born at a military hospital that offers free access to obstetric and neonatal care. Between January 1, 1986, and December 31, 1991, data were prospectively collected on all 667 infants delivered at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center with an estimated gestational age of less than 35 weeks. Three hundred ninety-two white infants and 165 black infants were included in the data analysis. The mean (±SD) birth weight was 1701 ± 65 g for white infants and 1462 ± 66 g for black infants. The mean estimated gestational age was 31.0 ± 3.2 weeks for white infants and 29.9 ± 3.8 weeks for black infants. Preeclampsia was more frequent in black mothers than in white mothers for the entire study population (21% vs 14%), but the birth weight differential between races remained after correction for preeclampsia. There were no significant differences between races in stillbirths, gender, maternal age, maternal transfer status, number of prenatal visits, or percentages of mothers with small-for-gestational-age infants, multiple-gestation infants, prolonged rupture of membranes, or initial prenatal visit during the first trimester. Intraventricular hemorrhage was more frequent in white infants at 27 through 29 weeks estimated gestational age (50% vs 13%). There were no significant differences between the two groups in survival or in the occurrence of severe infraventricular hemorrhage or bronchopulmonary dysplasia. It is concluded that preterm black infants are smaller than preterm white infants when matched for gestational age despite essentially equal utilization of prenatal care. However, maternal race has little direct effect on the survival of liveborn preterm infants in this population.


Author(s):  
S.H. Elbeely ◽  
M.A. AlQurashi

BACKGROUND: Very low birth weight infants born prematurely are at greater risk for growth delays that lead to Ex-utero Growth Restriction (EUGR) during vulnerable periods of organ structural and functional development. There is considerable evidence that early growth failure has adverse effects on long term neurodevelopment in children which often persists into adulthood. METHODS: This is a single-center cross-sectional study on live newborn infants with birth weight ranges from 500 to 1500 grams (VLBW) and gestational age (GA) between 24–32 weeks who were admitted to NICU at KAMC-Jeddah over a 5 year period (2009–2013). This study aims to evaluate predischarge growth pattern of VLBW infants in terms of weight, head circumference (HC) and length and to identify important variables that have influenced such growth pattern. RESULTS: Of the 135 infants included in the final analysis, 68 (50.4%) were male and 67 (49.6%) were female and the mean gestational age was 28.83±2.064 weeks and the mean birth weight 1166.74±256 grams. Ninety-two infants (68%) had discharge weight at ≤10th percentile and forty four (32%) had their weight >10th percentile. HC was the lowest affected among the anthropometric measurements with 42% ≤10th percentile. In terms of linear growth, 62% had their length ≤10th percentile. Amongst infants born ≤750 grams, 71% and 70% had HC and height at ≤10th percentile respectively, at the time of discharge. BPD was significantly associated with EUGR (p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that almost 2/3rd of VLBW infants born at KAMC-Jeddah with birth weight ≤750 grams were discharged home with EUGR as demonstrated by their weight, length, and HC ≤10th percentile. BPD was found to be significantly associated with EUGR amongst post-natal factors influencing EUGR.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (08) ◽  
pp. 1114-1119
Author(s):  
Saqib Aslam ◽  
◽  
Sadaf Minhas ◽  
Muhammad Azhar Farooq ◽  
Beenish Bashir Mughal ◽  
...  

Objective: To compare the mean hemoglobin levels and frequency of polycythemia in full term neonates after early and delayed cord clamping. Study Design: Randomized Controlled Trial. Setting: KRL General Hospital Islamabad (Labor Room/ Neonatology). Periods: December 2017 to June 2018. Material & Methods: 190 full term neonates were selected and divided into 2 equal groups randomly: Early cord clamping group after delivery and late cord clamping group. Two hours after clamping the venous blood samples were taken for the hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for gestational age, birth weight, hemoglobin and hematocrit. Frequency and proportions were calculated for gender and polycythemia. Results: Mean gestational age of the mothers was 39.27 ± 1.50 weeks. Of 190 neonates, 91 (47.9%) were males, 99 (52.1%) were females. Mean birth weight was 3.64 ± 0.72 kg while mean Hb and HCT levels were 16.07 ± 2.30 g/dl and 63.26 ± 5.32% respectively. Keeping cut off value of 13.5 g/dl of Hb to label anemia or no, 35 (18.4%) neonates were anemic in this study. The polycythemia (HCT >65%) was present in 72 (37.9%) of neonates. There was no difference between groups in terms of gender, anemia, gestational age and birth weight (p values 0.663, 0.852, 0.700 and 0.491 respectively). The distribution of polycythemia was different among groups (p value 0.007). The mean hemoglobin level in group A was 15.52 ± 1.90 g/dl while in group B it was 16.62 ± 2.53 g/dl (p value 0.001). Mean Hb levels were statistically not different among some of the groups (gestational age <40 weeks, birth weight <4 kg) while HCT levels are significantly different among male group and category of birth weight >4 kg. Rest of the stratification groups showed significant difference. Conclusion: The delayed cord clamping in neonates results in increased mean hemoglobin and hematocrit levels with increased frequency of polycythemia as compared to early cord clamping.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 1533
Author(s):  
Shasidhar Reddy Y. ◽  
Abdul Mohid Syed ◽  
Gangadhar B. Belavadi

Background: The transition from a fetus to a newborn is the most complex adaptation that occurs in human experience. This study assessed three physiological parameters viz. temperature (core and peripheral), oxygen saturation and heart rate so as to avoid the delay in normal transitional adaptation.Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was done at Narayana Medical College Hospital, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India. A total of 150 neonates born from June 2017 to February 2018 were monitored for heart rate, oxygen saturation, core and peripheral temperature from birth to 60 minutes.Results: Most of the mother’s (45.33%) were aged between 22 to 25 years and the mean age was 23.75±3.64 years. History of consanguineous marriage was noted in 33.33%. The mode of delivery was vaginal in 70.67% of the babies. The mean gestational age was 38.74±1.36 weeks. The birth weight among 62% of the babies was between 2.5 to 3.49 Kgs and mean birth weight was 2.81±0.49 kgs. The meconium stained liquor and requirement of resuscitation was noted in 9.33% and 10.67% respectively.Conclusions: Significant difference was noted with regard to heart rate in babies with active resuscitation, low birth weight (<2.5 kg), meconium stained liquor and warmer care compared to normal babies. There was variation in oxygen saturation in babies who required resuscitation and warmer care, and those who had low birth weight. The mean peripheral and core temperature were different in babies with abdominal care compared to warmer care.


2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 226-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ozge Serce Pehlevan ◽  
Derya Benzer ◽  
Tugba Gursoy ◽  
Guner Karatekin ◽  
Fahri Ovali

Background: Probiotics and prebiotics have strain-specific effects on the host. Synbiotics, a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics, are proposed to have more beneficial effects on the host than either agent has alone.Purpose: We performed a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium together with oligosaccharides and lactoferrin on the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or sepsis in very low birth weight neonates.Methods: Neonates with a gestational age ≤32 weeks and birth weight ≤1,500 g were enrolled. The study group received a combination of synbiotics and lactoferrin, whereas the control group received 1 mL of distilled water as placebo starting with the first feed until discharge. The outcome measures were the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or late-onset cultureproven sepsis and NEC stage ≥2 or death.Results: Mean birth weight and gestational age of the study (n=104) and the control (n=104) groups were 1,197±235 g vs. 1,151±269 g and 29±1.9 vs. 28±2.2 weeks, respectively (P>0.05). Neither the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or death, nor the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or late-onset culture-proven sepsis differed between the study and control groups (5.8% vs. 5.9%, P=1; 26% vs. 21.2%, P=0.51). The only significant difference was the incidence of all stages of NEC (1.9% vs. 10.6%, P=0.019).Conclusion: The combination of synbiotics and lactoferrin did not reduce NEC severity, sepsis, or mortality.


Author(s):  
Liting Tong ◽  
Sarita Pooranawattanakul ◽  
Jaya Sujatha Gopal-Kothandapani ◽  
Amaka C. Offiah

Abstract Background Preterm infants may be more vulnerable to fractures due to various factors, including metabolic bone disease, but an increased risk of fractures up to the age of 2 is unproven. Objective To compare fracture patterns in premature and full-term children in the first 3 years of life. Materials and methods A retrospective study was conducted. We excluded any child who returned with the same injury, with known metabolic bone disease, with any disease or condition known to reduce bone density, who received any medication known to affect Vitamin D metabolism within 3 months of enrollment or who had fractures post-surgery/resuscitation. Variables such as the number of fractures sustained each year, age of presentation to the Emergency Department and mechanism of injury were compared between the preterm and term groups using statistical analysis (χ2 and Fisher exact test for categorical variables and Student’s t-test for continuous variables). Simple linear regression was performed on the total number of fractures sustained by age 3. Results Forty-four children with fractures were included. Of these, none were born extremely preterm, 24 (55%) were preterm, and 20 (45%) were born at term. Mean gestational ages of the preterm and term groups were 32 weeks 3 days and 39 weeks 6 days, respectively. There were no extremely low birth weight or very low birth weight children. There was no significant difference in the number of fractures sustained yearly, the age of presentation to the Emergency Department or the site of fracture between preterm and term groups. Linear regression showed that the total number of fractures sustained by age 3 years was unrelated to prematurity status, gender or birth weight category. Conclusion No significant difference in fracture number or pattern was identified.


QJM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 114 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rania Hassan Mostafa ◽  
Sherif Ahmed Ashoush ◽  
Hassan Awwad Bayoumy ◽  
Wessam Kamal Lotfy Gabr

Abstract Background Preterm birth with its complications is one of the leading causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality, as well as maternal morbidity, especially in low and middle-income countries. Cervical cerclage is a well-established preventive tool in women at high risk of preterm birth; however, subclinical maternal infection might still cause failure of this method. Thus, adding prophylactic antibiotics, namely macrolides, could prevent preterm birth. Patients and methods This was a randomized controlled clinical trial involving two groups of women who underwent vaginal cerclage at Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital. One group received azithromycin 500mg one tablet orally once daily for 3 days every month from 14th week to 34th week gestation, in addition to routine antenatal care; while the other group received usual antenatal care without antibiotic prophylaxis after cerclage. Follow-up was done and we compared the outcomes in each group: gestational age at delivery, birth weight, mode of delivery, maternal complications, and perinatal complications. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04278937. Results Gestational age at delivery was significantly higher in the azithromycin group (36.8weeks vs 34.1weeks; P = 0.017), with significant prolongation of gestation in the azithromycin group (23.7weeks vs 21.1weeks; P = 0.005). As regards birth weight, it was significantly higher in the azithromycin group (2932.6gm vs 2401.8gm; P = 0.006); however babies with low birth weight (birth weight &lt;2500gm) were non-significantly less frequent in the azithromycin group (3cases vs 7cases; P = 0.165). There was no significant difference between the two groups as regards other outcomes (miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal intensive care unit admission, antepartum hemorrhage, postpartum pyrexia, need for blood transfusion). Conclusion Adding azithromycin as antenatal prophylaxis in women undergoing vaginal cerclage prolongs pregnancy and reduces risk of PTB, with slight increase in birth weight. However, there was no clear effect on incidence of low birth weight, or perinatal morbidity/mortality.


1998 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideshi Tomita ◽  
Shigeto Fuse ◽  
Shunzo Chiba

SummaryWe studied factors that predict in children catecholamine induced vasoconstriction of the persistent arterial duct. Epinephrine at 2.0–10.0 (4.9 ± 1.3, mean ± standard deviation) μg/kg was injected intravenously into 30 patients with persistent arterial duct whose age ranged from 1 to 91 (27 ± 26) months. In 11 patients aged 10–66 (34 ± 23) months (responders), a continuous murmur had almost completely disappeared on auscultation, and both the diameter and the shunt flow area of the arterial duct had become smaller as shown by Doppler echocardiography. On the other hand, there was no such change in 19 patients aged 1–91 (23 ± 27) months (non-responders). Although there was no significant difference in the age, the body weight, the minimal diameter of the arterial duct, or the doses of epinephrine between responders and non-responders, the gestational age at birth was slightly less (p=0.09) and the birth weight was significantly smaller in responders than in non-responders (p<0.05). The persistent arterial duct of those who had a history of low birth weight always responded to epinephrine. In infants younger than 6 months, the persistent arterial duct was never constricted by epinephrine regardless of the birth weight and gestational age. In low birth weight infants, the vascular smooth muscle of the persistent arterial duct can usually constrict beyond infancy. There may be some age dependent difference in responsiveness to epinephrine until 6 months of age.


Author(s):  
Sarah Castets ◽  
Kim-An Nguyen ◽  
Franck Plaisant ◽  
Malika Baya Prudon ◽  
Ingrid Plotton ◽  
...  

Background and objectivesIdentifying virilisation of the genitalia in female newborns early during the neonatal period is important to diagnose pathologies. However, there is no clear threshold for clitoromegaly or for the anogenital ratio. The objective of this study was to define reference values for the external genitalia of full-term and pre-term female neonates.DesignThis was a prospective study of all females born in the study centre between May 2014 and July 2016. Clitoral length and anogenital ratio were measured in 619 newborns with a gestational age of 24+2 to 41+3 weeks during their first 3 days of life. Associations between the values at day 3 and gestational age, birth weight and other newborn characteristics were examined by linear regression.ResultsThe mean clitoral length at day 3 of life was 3.69±1.53 mm (n=551; 95th percentile, 6.5 mm; maximum, 8 mm), and the mean anogenital ratio was 0.42±0.09 (95th percentile, 0.58). There was no significant variation with gestational age or birth weight, and no significant difference between the results at day 0 and day 3.ConclusionThese results suggest that clitoromegaly can be defined as a clitoral length >6.5 mm. Values ≥8 mm should prompt further investigations. An anogenital ratio >0.6 should be considered a sign of virilisation. Since clitoral size does not vary with gestational age or birth weight, clitoromegaly should not be attributed to prematurity.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kabilan S. ◽  
Mekalai Suresh Kumar

Background: Around 4-8% of all live births are very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.  In India currently 8 million VLBW infants are born each year which constitutes 40% of global burden the highest for any country. The present study was done to determine frequency of disease, complications, survival rate and risk factors for morbidity and mortality in VLBW babies.Methods: Between October 2016 and September 2017, we did a cross-sectional retrospective study at level three SNCU with >98% inborn admissions and about more than 10000 deliveries per year. The American Academy of Pediatrics protocol for neonatal resuscitation was followed for the management of VLBW. Data were entered in predetermined proforma and statistical analysis was done.Results: There were 154 registered cases of VLBW [75 females (48.7%) and 79 males (51.3%)]. The mean birth weight=1.198 (SD=0.211). The mean gestational age in weeks was 31.9 (SD=3.095).  Majority of them were in the gestational age 33-36 weeks (n=68, 44.2%), small for gestational age (n=89, 57.8), delivered through normal vaginal delivery (n=95, 61.7%), singletons (n=126, 81.8%), inborn (n=152, 98.7%), maternal age between 21-30 (n=95, 61.6%), clear amniotic fluid (n=137, 89%), on antenatal steroids (n=59, 38.3%), maternal disease were present in 55 mothers (33%) and gestational hypertension being more common (n=14, 9.6%). Majority of babies had Respiratory Distress Syndrome (n=56, 33.6%), birth asphyxia (n=54 32.4%) and sepsis (n=46, 27.6%). Mortality of 40.3% (n=62) observed in present study. Forty three babies with RDS, twenty babies with asphyxia and eight babies with sepsis expired.Conclusions: Multiple regression analysis with adjusted estimates of odds ratio showed that very low birth weight, low Apgar score at 5 minute, intubation and mechanical ventilation were predictors of outcome of VLBW babies. Birth weight and mechanical ventilation were significant predictors of the outcome of ELBW babies.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document