Osteoprotegerin in infection-induced acute inflammatory states in children.

Background And Aims: Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member which increases in chronic inflammation and is associated with altered bone turnover and cardiovascular complications. In this study, we investigated whether OPG increases during acute inflammatory states induced by infections in children and correlated its levels with other biomarkers.

Materials And Methods: This is a prospective study that included 59 patients with documented bacterial infections, 20 with viral infections and 20 healthy controls.

Evaluation of copeptin in children after stimulation with clonidine or L-Dopa.

Objectives: Arginine-stimulated serum copeptin has been proposed as a new method to diagnose arginine vasopressin (AVP) deficiency in children and adolescents. Herein we investigated the secretagogic potential of clonidine or L-Dopa on the copeptin serum levels in children.

Methods: Eight stimulation tests (4 with clonidine and 4 with L-Dopa) were performed in eight children (5 boys and 3 girls) with a median age of 6.

NMR-based metabolic profiling of children with premature adrenarche.

Introduction: Premature adrenarche (PA) for long time was considered a benign condition but later has been connected to various diseases in childhood and adulthood which remains controversial.

Objective: To investigate the effect of premature adrenarche on the metabolic phenotype, and correlate the clinical and biochemical data with the metabolic profile of children with PA.

Methods: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based untargeted and targeted metabolomic approach in combination with multivariate and univariate statistical analysis applied to study the metabolic profiles of children with PA.

Preterm newborns exposed to early-onset preeclampsia have altered postnatal Tumor Necrosis Factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand trends versus controls.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a protein with anti-atherogenic and vasoprotective effects that has never been studied in newborns exposed to preeclampsia. Our aim was to examine TRAIL serum concentrations in such neonates after birth and during the transitional period.

Methods: Serum TRAIL levels were measured on the first and fifth day of life (DOL1 and DOL5, respectively) in 38 newborns exposed to early-onset preeclampsia and 38 controls born of normotensive mothers.

The effect of feeding patterns on serum zonulin levels in infants at 3-4 months of age.

Zonulin so far is the only known endogenous modulator of intercellular tight junctions which regulate the intestinal permeability. Breastfeeding is considered to enhance the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract; however, limited data are available about the effect of feeding patterns on intestinal permeability. We aimed to investigate the potential association between the mode of feeding (breast versus formula milk) and the serum zonulin levels as a marker of intestinal permeability.