Hande Gulcan

Alterations in Antioxidant Enzyme Activities in Cerebrospinal Fluid Related with Severity of Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy in Newborns

Background: The antioxidant status of the tissue affected by ischemia-reperfusion is of great importance for the primary endogenous defense against the free-radical-induced injury. Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the activities of antioxidant enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD)[, ]glutathione peroxidase (GPX)[, ]and catalase (CAT)] in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and severity of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in newborns. Methods: Thirty full-term asphyxiated infants (gestational age >37 weeks) and 11 full-term infants (none of whom showed any signs of asphyxia) were included in this study. Activities of SOD, GPX, and CAT in CSF were measured within the first 72 h of life in infants with HIE and controls. Results: Activity of SOD in CSF was significantly higher in infants with HIE compared with controls (p<0.05). GPX and CAT activities were higher in infants with HIE than they were in controls; however, the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The activities of GPX and CAT were significantly increased in severe HIE as compared with mild HIE and controls (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Both the duration of the hypoxic-ischemic insult and the severity of HIE modulate elevations of enzymatic activity as an adaptive response to excessive free radical production in CSF in newborn infants with HIE. The activities of antioxidant enzyme alterations in CSF correspond highly to the severity of HIE, and these patterns may be useful for diagnostic and prognostic purposes.

Comparison of UK and US screening criteria for detection of retinopathy of prematurity in a developing nation

PURPOSE To determine the incidence, risk factors, and appropriateness of differing guidelines in developed nations for screening for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in a single nursery in a large urban city in southern Turkey. METHODS The records of 260 premature infants born ≤34 weeks in a single tertiary unit were retrospectively reviewed for ROP risk factors and diagnosis. Applicability of UK and US criteria were assessed by the use of receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS ROP of any stage was present in 60 infants (23%); ROP requiring treatment was seen in 30 (11.5%). Univariate analysis showed a significant relationship among the following factors: gestational age, birth weight, total duration of supplemental oxygen, duration of mechanical ventilation, respiratory distress syndrome, anemia, and intraventricular hemorrhage (p < 0.0001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed gestational age (p = 0.039), birth weight (p = 0.05), respiratory distress syndrome (p = 0.05), and anemia (p = 0.004) as independent predictors of ROP requiring treatment. Area under curve for gestational age alone for diagnosing stage 2 or greater ROP was 0.824 ± 0.03 (p = 0.0001) and for birth weight alone was 0.808 ± 0.03 (p = 0.0001). UK screening criteria detected all stage 2 and greater ROP; US screening criteria missed 2 infants with stage 2 ROP but detected all treatment-requiring disease. Adoption of these screening criteria would have reduced unnecessary examinations by either 21% (UK) or 37% (US). CONCLUSIONS UK and US criteria improved the detection accuracy for ROP requiring treatment in Turkey and should be studied for other developing nations.

Extreme Hyperbilirubinemia in Newborn Infants

This study was undertaken to determine the frequency and investigate the etiology of extreme hyperbilirubinemia (total serum bilirubin [TSB] ≥25 mg/dL [428 μmol/L]) in newborns admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit in southern Turkey. The charts of 93 term and near-term infants admitted with TSB levels of 25 mg/dL (428 μmol/L) or greater in the first 30 days after birth were retrospectively reviewed. During the 4.5-year study period, 774 infants were admitted to our unit with neonatal jaundice. Ninety-three (12%) of these infants had TSB levels of 25 mg/dL (428 μmol/L) or greater. The mean TSB level in the 93 cases was 30.1 ± 5.7 mg/dL (514.7 ± 97.5 μmol/L), and the peak levels ranged from 25.0 to 57.4 mg/dL (428-981.5 μmol/L). Thirty-three (35.5%) of the 93 babies had TSB levels of 30 mg/dL (513 μmol/L) or greater. Eighty-nine of 93 infants were being exclusively breast-fed. Nineteen babies were isoimmunized, 7 were bacteremic, 2 of the 39 babies tested for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase had this enzyme deficiency, and 1 of the 71 infants tested for thyroid function had hypothyroidism. No cause for extreme hyperbilirubinemia was found in 61 (65.6%) cases.

Is umbilical cord milking always an advantage

Abstract Objective: The role of cord milking as an alternative to delayed cord clamping is an area that requires more research. Purpose of this clinical trial was to investigate the impact of umbilical cord milking on the absolute neutrophil counts (ANCs) and the neutropenia frequency of preterm infants. Methods: Fifty-eight pregnant women were randomly assigned to one of the umbilical cord milking and control groups. A total of 54 preterm infants (gestational age ≤32 weeks) were enrolled into the study. The umbilical cords of 25 infants were clamped immediately after birth, and in 29 infants, umbilical cord milking was performed first. Results: The ANCs were statistically significantly lower in the cord milking group compared with the control group on days 1, 3 and 7. The frequency of neutropenia was higher in the cord milking group compared with the control group. Conclusion: In our study, ANCs were lower in the cord milking group and the frequency of neutropenia was higher. Umbilical cord milking plays a role on the ANCs of preterm infants.

The role of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphisms in bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

BACKGROUND Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a multifactorial disease of preterm infants that is characterized by airway injury, inflammation, and parencymal remodeling. Activation of the coagulation cascade leads to intraalveolar fibrin deposition in many inflammatory pulmonary disorders. Increased fibrin formation or decreased fibrinolysis may cause extravascular fibrin deposition. Extravascular fibrin deposits in septae and alveoli due to the altered fibrin turnover are the pathological hallmarks of BPD, which strongly indicate the importance of the imbalance in the competing activities of coagulation and fibrinolysis. OBJECTIVE We investigated the predictive value of variations in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) genes as molecular determinants for BPD in neonates. METHODS The study group comprised 98 preterm infants with BPD and a control group including 94 preterm infants without BPD. Restriction fragment size analyses were performed by visualizing digested polymerase chain reaction products for ACE and PAI-1 genotypes. RESULTS No significant associations were found between ACE, PAI-1 gene polymorphisms, and BPD phenotype in our population. CONCLUSIONS The two gene polymorphisms (PAI-1 and ACE) had no role in the development of BPD in our study. Further studies with other genes are required for the identification of molecular predisposing factors for BPD that may help in the development of new treatments.

Association of Serum Albumin Level and Mortality in Premature Infants.

Hypoalbuminemia has been proven to be a powerful predictor of mortality in adult patients. However, prognostic value of serum albumin in neonates is not clear.

Use of balloon-expandable metallic stent in a premature infant with congenital tracheobronchial stenosis.

A congenital tracheobronchial stenosis is a rare obstructive lesion of the airway characterized by intrinsic narrowing of a segment of the trachea and bronchi. In this report, we present the smallest premature infant with a congenital tracheobronchial stenosis who has been successfully treated with balloon dilatation and placement of a balloon‐expandable metallic stent. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2008; 43:414–417.

Determination of tissue hypoxia by physicochemical approach in premature anemia

BACKGROUND Anemia is a common problem in premature infants and its most rapid and effective therapy is erythrocyte transfusion. However, owing to inherent risks of transfusion in this population, transfusions should be administered only when adequate oxygen delivery to tissues is impaired. The aim of this study was to determine tissue acid levels using Stewart method in an attempt to evaluate the tissue oxygenation level and thereby the accuracy of transfusion timing. METHODS This study included 47 infants delivered at gestational age below 34 weeks who required erythrocyte transfusion for premature anemia. Strong ion gap (SIG), unmeasurable anions (UMA), tissue acid levels (TA), and Cl/Na ratios were calculated before and after transfusion. RESULTS The mean birth weight and gestational age of the study population were 1210 ± 365 g and 29.2 ± 2.7 weeks, respectively. Tissue acid levels were increased (TA ≥ 4) and tissue hypoxia developed in 10 (16.6%) of 60 erythrocyte transfusions administered according to the restrictive transfusion approach. The patients were divided into two groups according to tissue acid levels as low (<4) and high (≥4) tissue acid groups. The group with tissue hypoxia (TA ≥ 4) had significantly higher UMA levels but a significantly lower Cl/Na ratio; and UMA levels decreased and Cl/Na ratio increased after transfusion in this group. Tissue hypoxia secondary to anemia was shown to be improved by erythrocyte transfusion. CONCLUSION The results of the present study suggest that the determination of the level of tissue hypoxia by the Stewart approach may be an alternative to restrictive transfusion guidelines for timing of transfusion in premature anemia. It also showed that a low Cl/Na ratio can be used as a simple marker of tissue hypoxia.

Epidermoid Cyst of Orbit in a Newborn

A 3-day-old male newborn presented with a severe proptosis of the left eye leading to exposure keratopathy. He underwent debulking of the cyst and biopsy of the tumour and received the pathological diagnosis of epidermoid cyst of orbit. Clinicopathological features of this rare disease are discussed.

Shunt index can be used to predict clinically significant patent ductus arteriosus in premature neonates in early post-natal life.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to examine the differences between arterial and inferior caval vein oxygen saturation, fractional oxygen extraction, and the shunt index, which were calculated in the diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus. METHODS Twenty-seven preterm infants were included in this study and were divided into two groups according to patent ductus arteriosus. Among them, 11 (41%) infants had haemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus and 16 (59%) did not have significant patent ductus arteriosus. Synchronous arterial and venous blood gases were measured during the first post-natal hours after the insertion of umbilical catheters. The differences between arterial and inferior caval vein oxygen saturation, inferior body fractional oxygen extraction, and the shunt index were calculated. Echocardiography was performed before the 72nd hour of life in a selected group of patients who had haemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus. Ibuprofen treatment was administered to patients with patent ductus arteriosus. Echocardiography was performed on the 72nd hour of life in preterm infants without any clinical suspicion of patent ductus arteriosus. RESULTS The early measured differences between arterial and inferior caval vein oxygen saturation and inferior body fractional oxygen extraction were found to be lower and the shunt index was found to be higher in the haemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus group than in the group without haemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus. CONCLUSION We found that the shunt index, calculated in the first hours of life as ≥63%, predicted haemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus with a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 82% in preterm newborns.