Role of Zinc in Neonatal Sepsis.

Sepsis emerges as a complex clinical syndrome with activation of an innate host response to infections. Despite advancement in therapeutic approaches, infants with sepsis remain hospitalized for longer durations and it remains to be a major health problem in today's world. Zinc as a trace element, has the potential to improve the host's defence mechanism against various pathogenic diseases.

Effect of zinc supplementation on relative expression of immune response genes in neonates with sepsis: A preliminary study.

Background & Objectives: Zinc alters gene expression mainly by binding to a site on the transcription factor. Genome-wide expression studies have shown early repression of genes related to zinc and immunity in adult patients with sepsis. The present study was conducted to evaluate the role of zinc supplementation on relative expression of immune response genes in neonatal sepsis.

Impact of human milk banking on neonatal mortality, necrotizing enterocolitis, and exclusive breastfeeding - experience from a tertiary care teaching hospital, south India.

Objective: The objective of this study is to study the impact of a Human Milk Bank (HMB) on neonatal mortality, incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and rate of exclusive breastfeeding.

Methods: This pre-post intervention study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching institute in south India. Data regarding neonatal mortality, incidence of NEC, and exclusive breastfeeding rates were collected for a period of 6 months before and after establishing a modern HMB and compared.

Short Term Oral Zinc Supplementation among Babies with Neonatal Sepsis for Reducing Mortality and Improving Outcome - A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of short term zinc supplementation on the mortality rate and neurodevelopment outcome in neonates with sepsis at 12 mo corrected age.

Methods: The clinical trial was undertaken in the neonatal intensive care unit of JIPMER during the time period from September 2013 through December 2016. Neonates with clinical manifestations of sepsis who exhibited two positive screening tests (microESR, C- reactive protein, band cell count) were included and randomized into no zinc and zinc group.

Efficacy of zinc supplementation on serum calprotectin, inflammatory cytokines and outcome in neonatal sepsis - a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To find out the efficacy of zinc supplementation in decreasing the levels of serum calprotectin and inflammatory cytokines with improvement in outcome in neonatal sepsis.

Methods: Neonates with clinical signs suggestive of sepsis and at least two screening tests positive were randomized into two groups - zinc group and control group. The zinc group received 3 mg/kg of zinc sulfate monohydrate twice a day orally for 10 days along with antibiotics.

Modified low cost SNP genotyping technique using cycle threshold (Ct) & melting temperature (Tm) values in allele specific real-time PCR.

Background & Objectives: Genotyping has now become one of the major diagnostic means for almost all diseases. Among the advanced techniques that are used to study single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), only a few are applicable for routine disease diagnosis. Their applicability mainly depends on three factors: cost, time, and accuracy.