Impact of Preterm Birth on Glucocorticoid Variability in Human Milk

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shikha Pundir ◽  
Cameron J. Mitchell ◽  
Eric B. Thorstensen ◽  
Clare R. Wall ◽  
Sharon L. Perrella ◽  
...  

Background: Preterm birth is a stressful event for both the mother and infant. Whereas the initiation of breastfeeding is important for preterm infant health, little is known of the glucocorticoid hormones (cortisol and cortisone) in human milk following preterm birth. Research aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between human milk glucocorticoid concentrations and preterm birth. Methods: Human milk was sampled weekly for up to 6 weeks from 22 women who delivered a preterm infant at 28 to 32 weeks’ gestation. Human milk was analyzed for total and free cortisol and cortisone concentrations using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Milk sampled from mothers of preterm infants had more cortisone than cortisol ( p < .001), with a strong correlation between both hormones ( p = .001, r = .85). The cortisone was significantly higher in the milk of mothers who delivered infants after 30 weeks compared with those who delivered before 30 weeks of gestation ( p = .02). Glucocorticoid concentrations did not change over the sampling time (weeks 1 to 6 postpartum) and did not differ by infant gender. Conclusion: Glucocorticoids were present in all milk samples following preterm birth. Cortisone concentration tended to be higher in those who delivered after 30 weeks’ gestation but did not increase further over the weeks following birth.

2019 ◽  
Vol 104 (10) ◽  
pp. 4827-4836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura E Dichtel ◽  
Melanie Schorr ◽  
Claudia Loures de Assis ◽  
Elizabeth M Rao ◽  
Jessica K Sims ◽  
...  

Abstract Context Accurate diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency is critical because there are risks associated with overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. Data using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) free cortisol (FC) assays in states of high or low cortisol-binding globulin (CBG) levels, including cirrhosis, critical illness, and oral estrogen use, are needed. Design Cross-sectional. Objective Determine the relationship between CBG and albumin as well as total cortisol (TC) and FC in states of normal and abnormal CBG. Establish the FC level by LC/MS/MS that best predicts TC of <18 μg/dL (497 nmol/L) (standard adrenal insufficiency diagnostic cutoff) in healthy individuals. Subjects This study included a total of 338 subjects in four groups: healthy control (HC) subjects (n = 243), patients with cirrhosis (n = 38), intensive care unit patients (ICU) (n = 26), and oral contraceptive (OCP) users (n = 31). Main Outcome Measure(s) FC and TC by LC/MS/MS, albumin by spectrophotometry, and CBG by ELISA. Results TC correlated with FC in the ICU (R = 0.91), HC (R = 0.90), cirrhosis (R = 0.86), and OCP (R = 0.70) groups (all P < 0.0001). In receiver operator curve analysis in the HC group, FC of 0.9 μg/dL (24.8 nmol/L) predicted TC of <18 μg/dL (497 nmol/L; 98% sensitivity, 91% specificity; AUC, 0.98; P < 0.0001). Decreasing the cutoff to 0.7 μg/dL led to a small decrease in sensitivity (92%) with similar specificity (91%). Conclusions A cutoff FC of <0.9 μg/dL (25 nmol/L) in this LC/MS/MS assay predicts TC of <18 μg/dL (497 nmol/L) with excellent sensitivity and specificity. This FC cutoff may be helpful in ruling out adrenal insufficiency in patients with binding globulin derangements.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Talat Bashir Ahmed ◽  
Merete Eggesbø ◽  
Rachel Criswell ◽  
Olaf Uhl ◽  
Hans Demmelmair ◽  
...  

Human milk lipids are essential for infant health. However, little is known about the relationship between total milk fatty acid (FA) composition and polar lipid species composition. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the relationship between the FA and polar lipid species composition in human milk, with a focus on differences between milk with higher or lower milk fat content. From the Norwegian Human Milk Study (HUMIS, 2002–2009), a subset of 664 milk samples were analyzed for FA and polar lipid composition. Milk samples did not differ in major FA, phosphatidylcholine, or sphingomyelin species percentages between the highest and lowest quartiles of total FA concentration. However, milk in the highest FA quartile had a lower phospholipid-to-total-FA ratio and a lower sphingomyelin-to-phosphatidylcholine ratio than the lowest quartile. The only FAs associated with total phosphatidylcholine or sphingomyelin were behenic and tridecanoic acids, respectively. Milk FA and phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin species containing these FAs showed modest correlations. Associations of arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids with percentages of phosphatidylcholine species carrying these FAs support the conclusion that the availability of these FAs limits the synthesis of phospholipid species containing them.


Author(s):  
Sarah M Reyes ◽  
Biranchi Patra ◽  
Melinda J Elliott

Abstract An exclusive human milk diet (EHMD) has been shown to reduce health complications of prematurity in infants born weighing ≤1250 grams compared to cow milk-based diets. Accordingly, the number of available human milk (HM)-based nutritional products continues to increase. Newly available products, and those reportedly soon to enter the market include homogenized donor human milk (DHM) and homogenized HM–based fortifiers. Existing literature demonstrating the benefits of an EHMD, however, is limited to non-homogenized HM-based products. Herein, we summarize existing evidence on the impact of homogenization on HM, with a particular focus on changes to the macromolecular structure of the milk fat globule and its subsequent impact on digestion kinetics. We use these published data to create a conceptual framework for the potential implications of homogenized HM-based nutritional products on preterm infant health. Importantly, we underscore that the safety and efficacy of homogenized HM-based products warrant investigation.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 3604
Author(s):  
Lila S. Nolan ◽  
Angela N. Lewis ◽  
Qingqing Gong ◽  
James J. Sollome ◽  
Olivia N. DeWitt ◽  
...  

The application of metabolomics in neonatology offers an approach to investigate the complex relationship between nutrition and infant health. Characterization of the metabolome of human milk enables an investigation into nutrients that affect the neonatal metabolism and identification of dietary interventions for infants at risk of diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). In this study, we aimed to identify differences in the metabolome of breast milk of 48 mothers with preterm infants with NEC and non-NEC healthy controls. A minimum significant difference was observed in the human milk metabolome between the mothers of infants with NEC and mothers of healthy control infants. However, significant differences in the metabolome related to fatty acid metabolism, oligosaccharides, amino sugars, amino acids, vitamins and oxidative stress-related metabolites were observed when comparing milk from mothers with control infants of ≤1.0 kg birth weight and >1.5 kg birth weight. Understanding the functional biological features of mothers’ milk that may modulate infant health is important in the future of tailored nutrition and care of the preterm newborn.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 174550652110314
Author(s):  
Pamela Douglas

Background: Breastfeeding mothers commonly experience nipple pain accompanied by radiating, stabbing or constant breast pain between feeds, sometimes associated with pink shiny nipple epithelium and white flakes of skin. Current guidelines diagnose these signs and symptoms as mammary candidiasis and stipulate antifungal medications. Aim: This study reviews existing research into the relationship between Candida albicans and nipple and breast pain in breastfeeding women who have been diagnosed with mammary candidiasis; whether fluconazole is an effective treatment; and the presence of C. albicans in the human milk microbiome. Method: The author conducted three searches to investigate (a) breastfeeding-related pain and C. albicans; (b) the efficacy of fluconazole in breastfeeding-related pain; and (c) composition of the human milk mycobiome. These findings are critiqued and integrated in a narrative review. Results: There is little evidence to support the hypothesis that Candida spp, including C. albicans, in maternal milk or on the nipple-areolar complex causes the signs and symptoms popularly diagnosed as mammary candidiasis. There is no evidence that antifungal treatments are any more effective than the passage of time in women with these symptoms. Candida spp including C. albicans are commonly identified in healthy human milk and nipple-areolar complex mycobiomes. Discussion: Clinical breastfeeding support remains a research frontier. The human milk microbiome, which includes a mycobiome, interacts with the microbiomes of the infant mouth and nipple-areolar complex, including their mycobiomes, to form protective ecosystems. Topical or oral antifungals may disrupt immunoprotective microbial homeostasis. Unnecessary use contributes to the serious global problem of antifungal resistance. Conclusion: Antifungal treatment is rarely indicated and prolonged courses cannot be justified in breastfeeding women experiencing breast and nipple pain. Multiple strategies for stabilizing microbiome feedback loops when nipple and breast pain emerge are required, in order to avoid overtreatment of breastfeeding mothers and their infants with antifungal medications.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 2009
Author(s):  
Joris H.J. van Sadelhoff ◽  
Linda P. Siziba ◽  
Lisa Buchenauer ◽  
Marko Mank ◽  
Selma P. Wiertsema ◽  
...  

Free amino acids (FAAs) are important regulators of key pathways necessary for growth, development, and immunity. Data on FAAs in human milk (HM) and their roles in infant development are limited. We investigated the levels of FAAs and total amino acids (TAA, i.e., the sum of conjugated amino acids and FAAs) in HM in relation to infant and maternal characteristics and immunological conditions. FAA and TAA levels in HM sampled at 6 weeks (n = 671) and 6 months (n = 441) of lactation were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Child growth was ascertained at 4–5 weeks and at 6–7 months of age. Child allergy and lower respiratory tract infections were assessed in the first years of life. Associations of amino acid (AA) levels in HM with child growth and health outcomes were determined by Spearman correlation and modified Poisson regression, respectively. Free glutamine, glutamate, and serine in 6-week HM positively correlated with infant weight gain in the first 4–5 weeks of age. Maternal pre-pregnancy weight and body mass index (BMI) were negatively correlated with free glutamine and asparagine in 6-week and 6-month HM and positively correlated with the sum of TAAs in 6-month HM, but significance was lost following confounder adjustment. Free glutamine was lower in 6-month HM of mothers with an allergy (either active or non-active). No consistent associations were found between FAAs in HM and child health outcomes. However, potential negative associations were observed between specific FAAs and the risk of food allergy. These results suggest that specific FAAs play a role in infant growth. Moreover, these findings warrant further investigations into the relation of FAAs in HM with infant health outcomes and maternal allergy.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2551
Author(s):  
Per Torp Sangild ◽  
Caitlin Vonderohe ◽  
Valeria Melendez Hebib ◽  
Douglas G. Burrin

Bovine colostrum (BC), the first milk produced from cows after parturition, is increasingly used as a nutritional supplement to promote gut function and health in other species, including humans. The high levels of whey and casein proteins, immunoglobulins (Igs), and other milk bioactives in BC are adapted to meet the needs of newborn calves. However, BC supplementation may improve health outcomes across other species, especially when immune and gut functions are immature in early life. We provide a review of BC composition and its effects in infants and children in health and selected diseases (diarrhea, infection, growth-failure, preterm birth, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), short-bowel syndrome, and mucositis). Human trials and animal studies (mainly in piglets) are reviewed to assess the scientific evidence of whether BC is a safe and effective antimicrobial and immunomodulatory nutritional supplement that reduces clinical complications related to preterm birth, infections, and gut disorders. Studies in infants and animals suggest that BC should be supplemented at an optimal age, time, and level to be both safe and effective. Exclusive BC feeding is not recommended for infants because of nutritional imbalances relative to human milk. On the other hand, adverse effects, including allergies and intolerance, appear unlikely when BC is provided as a supplement within normal nutrition guidelines for infants and children. Larger clinical trials in infant populations are needed to provide more evidence of health benefits when patients are supplemented with BC in addition to human milk or formula. Igs and other bioactive factors in BC may work in synergy, making it critical to preserve bioactivity with gentle processing and pasteurization methods. BC has the potential to become a safe and effective nutritional supplement for several pediatric subpopulations.


Author(s):  
Elena Gonzalez Rodriguez ◽  
Pedro Marques-Vidal ◽  
Bérengère Aubry-Rozier ◽  
Georgios Papadakis ◽  
Martin Preisig ◽  
...  

AbstractSarcopenia, similar to hypercortisolism, is characterized by loss of muscle mass and strength. Cortisol circadian rhythm changes with aging (blunted late-day nadir values) were suggested to contribute to this decline. We aimed to explore the relationship between diurnal salivary cortisol values and sarcopenia diagnosis and its components in postmenopausal women. This is a cross-sectional study within the OsteoLaus population-based cohort in Lausanne (Switzerland). Participants had a body composition assessment by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), a grip strength (GS) measure, and salivary cortisol measures (at awakening, 30 min thereafter, 11 AM (sc-11AM) and 8 PM (sc-8PM)). Associations between salivary cortisol and sarcopenia diagnosed by six different criteria (based on appendicular lean mass (ALM) assessed by DXA, and muscle strength by GS), and its components, were analyzed. 471 women aged > 50 years (63.0 ± 7.5) were included. Various definitions identified different participants as sarcopenic, who consistently presented higher salivary cortisol at 11 AM and/or 8 PM. There were no associations between salivary cortisol levels and ALM measures, either absolute or after correction to height squared (ALM index) or body mass index. GS was inversely correlated to sc-11AM (r = − 0.153, p < 0.001) and sc-8PM (r = − 0.118, p = 0.002). Each 10 nmol/l increase of sc-11AM, respectively sc-8PM, was associated with a GS decrease of 1.758 (SE 0.472) kg, respectively 2.929 (SE 1.115) kg. In postmenopausal women, sarcopenia is associated with higher salivary cortisol levels at 11 AM and 8 PM. An increase of daily free cortisol levels in the physiological range could participate to sarcopenia development by decreasing muscle function in postmenopausal women.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Jia Zhou ◽  
Dingkun Wang ◽  
Bingong Li ◽  
Xuelian Li ◽  
Xingjun Lai ◽  
...  

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a metabolite produced by gut bacteria. Although increased TMAO levels have been linked to hypertension (HTN) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) with poor prognosis, no clinical studies have directly addressed the relationship between them. In this study, we investigated the relationship between TMAO and renal dysfunction in hypertensive patients. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We included healthy controls (<i>n</i> = 50), hypertensive patients (<i>n</i> = 46), and hypertensive patients with renal dysfunction (<i>n</i> = 143). Their blood pressure values were taken as the highest measured blood pressure. Renal function was evaluated using the estimated glomerular filtration rate. Plasma TMAO levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We found significant differences in plasma TMAO levels among the 3 groups (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.01). The plasma TMAO of patients with HTN was significantly higher than that of healthy people, and the plasma TMAO of patients with HTN complicated by renal dysfunction was significantly higher than either of the other groups. Patients in the highest TMAO quartile were at a higher risk of developing CKD stage 5 than those in the lowest quartile. In the receiver operating characteristic curve, the area under the curve of TMAO combined with β 2-macroglobulin for predicting renal dysfunction in patients with HTN was 0.85 (95% confidence interval 0.80–0.90). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> An elevated TMAO level reflects higher levels of HTN and more severe renal dysfunction. TMAO, combined with β 2-macroglobulin levels, may assist in diagnosing CKD in hypertensive patients. Plasma TMAO has predictive value for early kidney disease in hypertensive patients.


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