Reduction of serum serotonin precursors after veralipride treatment for postmenopausal hot flushes.

Objective: The pathogenesis of hot flushes involves several brain neurotransmitter systems, and changes in serotonin turnover have been hypothesized. Veralipride is an anti-dopaminergic agent that relieves hot flushes and putatively also modulates serotonergic neurons. To further elucidate this relationship, in the present study we evaluated whether administration of veralipride for relief of hot flushes is able to affect serum levels of the serotonin precursor tryptophan in postmenopausal women.

Serum levels of tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan and serotonin in patients affected with different forms of amenorrhea.

Tryptophan (Trp) is present in the serum, partly bound to albumine and in the free form. The unbound portion of circulating tryptophan has the property of crossing the hematoencephalic barrier and being converted within the brain into serotonin (5-HT) through the enzymatic processes of hydroxylation and decarboxylation. The serotoninergic system plays an important role in neuroendocrine control of reproductive hormone secretion, and in particular, it may influence GnRH pulsatility, a function essential for reproductive processes.

Menopause alters the metabolism of serum serotonin precursors and their correlation with gonadotropins and estradiol.

Objective: Tryptophan, the serotonin (5-HT) precursor, is circulating in blood in both free (FT) and protein-bound forms. The free form crosses the hematoencephalic barrier and is converted into 5-HT. During the fertile years, tryptophan levels are negatively correlated to gonadotropin concentrations.

Serum fluctuations of total and free tryptophan levels during the menstrual cycle are related to gonadotrophins and reflect brain serotonin utilization.

Background: Serotoninergic (5-HT) neurons are suggested to regulate estrous cycle in animal models. In the present study we evaluated whether a relationship exists between the serotoninergic precursors in the central nervous system and the gonadotrophin-ovarian cyclic function.

Methods: We measured 5-HT precursors [free (FT) and total (TT) tryptophan] and LH, FSH and 17beta-estradiol (E2) levels in the serum of 15 fertile women with normal menstrual cycles during the follicular (cycle days 1-5, 7-11), mid-cycle (cycle days 14-16) and luteal (cycle days 17-19, 22-24) phases.

Serum tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan at birth and during post-partum days.

Serum levels of tryptophan (Trp) and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) were measured in the mother at birth, by normal delivery or cesarean section, on days 1 and 3 post-partum, and in the cord blood of the fetus-newborns. Decreases in Trp and 5-HTP levels during delivery were noted. Conversely, Trp levels in the cord blood of fetus-newborns were significantly higher than those of their mothers, and 5-HTP levels also showed a tendency to increase , whereas on day 1 post-partum Trp values were lower than those in fetal cord, but higher than those during spontaneous delivery.

Maternal serum levels of human chorionic somatotropin correlates with transferrin and erythropoietin in pregnancy.

During pregnancy, plasma levels of erythropoietin (EPO) and transferrin (TSF) show a gradual increase till term, when a slight decrease occurs. Human chorionic somatotropin (hCS) is a peptide hormone with a direct effect on the function of the syncytiotrophoblast and on the mass of functional placental tissue. In order to understand the relationships between the placental functions, maternal erythropoiesis and iron transfer to the fetus, the relationships between EPO and hCS and between TSF and hCS were investigated.

Intravenous iron therapy for severe pregnancy anemia with high erythropoietin levels.

Background: To demonstrate that intravenous (IV) iron therapy rapidly can secure the physiologic correction of severe nonhemorrhagic anemia more safely than blood component therapy and recombinant erythropoietin treatment.

Case: An 18-year-old woman with beta-thalassemia in her 33rd week of gestation had a hemoglobin level of 4.8 g/dL and an erythropoietin value of 191 mU/mL.

Intravenous iron therapy in pregnancy anemia: hematological response in relation to gestational age.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the response to parenteral administration of iron in 62 pregnant patients with asiderotic anemia and mean initial hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations (Hb1) of 9.91+/-(SD) 1.13 g/dl.

Vitamin B12 levels in pregnancy influence erythropoietin response to anemia.

Objective: to discover whether vitamin B12 levels influence erythropoietin (EPO) response during pregnancy.

Study Design: 117 pregnant women after the 27th week were divided into three groups according to log vitamin B12 concentrations. EPO (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), Hemoglobin (Hb) and medium corpuscular Hb concentration (MCHC) were measured in these patients.

Relation between erythropoietin and vitamin B12 in normal and anemic pregnant women.

In this cross-sectional study of 178 pregnant women between the 7th and 42nd week of pregnancy, we analyzed correlations between erythropoietin (EPO) and vitamin B12 (B12) in different stages of pregnancy and in relation to hemoglobin (Hb) levels. Patients with hypertension, fetal growth retardation and severe systemic diseases were excluded. EPO (by ELISA), B12 (by RIA) and Hb were assayed in the same blood sample taken on admission.

Pattern of vitamin B12 and folic acid during pregnancy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate folate and vitamin B12 serum concentrations and their reciprocal relationships during pregnancy in relation to gestational age and levels of hemoglobin. Serum levels of vitamin B12 (B12) and folic acid (FA) were assessed by RIA in 213 women between the 6th and 43rd week of pregnancy. For 195 of these subjects, hemoglobin and hematocrit values were available.

The significance of the relationship between serum levels of cobalamin and MCHC during pregnancy.

Cobalamin concentration and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were found to have highly significant inverse correlation with the weeks of pregnancy (respectively -.278 P < .0001 and .

Erythropoietin and transferrin concentrations during pregnancy in relation to hemoglobin levels.

Serum levels of erythropoietin (EPO) were assayed by ELISA at the same time as red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), serum iron and transferrin in 136 pregnant women, divided on the basis of hemoglobin values (> or < or = 10.5 g/dl) and weeks of pregnancy (< or > or = 27th week). In the overall population, a parallel increase with weeks of pregnancy was shown by serum concentrations of EPO expressed as a logarithm (multiple R = 0.

Iron balance in pregnancy in relation to anemia.

Blood levels of iron, transferrin and ferritin varied in the course of pregnancy (6th to 42nd week) in 136 women. Analysis of variance showed that the factor "weeks of pregnancy" (< or = 27 or > 27 weeks) was correlated differently with the variables "ferritin" and "iron" according to the presence or absence of anemia (Hb < or = or > or = 11 g/dl). In anemic women the correlation was significant (F-ratio = 5.

QRS changes in direct fetal electrocardiogram during uterine overstimulation; report of four cases.

Four cases are presented in which increased QRS complex voltages or deviation of the mean electrical axis were observed in the fetus by direct fetal electrocardiogram (ECG) during delivery under anaesthesia. There was transformation of the initial QRS aspect before delivery. These changes were only observed when large doses of oxytocin (20 IU in 500 ml) were used after Pentothal administration in deliveries in which other fetal ECG alterations (bradycardia, ST changes, T inversion) and/or low pH values had been observed.

Total and free tryptophan levels in serum of newborn infants. Relationships with the Serotonin and nicotinic acid pathways.

The levels of total and free serum tryptophan have been determined in a group of newborn babies at birth, one day later and five days after birth. Total and free tryptophan levels are very high in the umbilical cord at birth, decrease quickly and significantly 24 hours after birth and show a slight, but not significant increase five days after birth. The high tryptophan levels at birth and their decrease in the first day after birth recall previous data on tryptophan metabolism "via" serotonin and "via" nicotinic acid.

[Immunoglobulins and antibody titre in amniotic fluid of Rh-isoimmunized pregnant women (author's transl)].

On 90 samples of amniotic fluid coming from 54 cases of Rh-isoimmunization submitted to amniocentesis one or more times, the following tests were done: 1.) Coombs indirect test; 2) immunoelectrophoresis; 3) quantitative determination of immunoglobulins. The results were related to the degree of immunization as determined by Coombs indirect test on the mothers' serum and spectrophotometric curve of the amniotic fluid.