Pre- and postoperative levels of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in neonates with congenital heart defects.

Background: The objectives of this study were to assess the preoperative and postoperative serum brain- derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in neonates undergoing surgery for congenital heart defects (CHD). Also to explore the relationship between changes in BDNF levels and the impact of perioperative factors including intraoperative body temperature, aortic cross-clamp time, perfusion time, operation time, inotropic score, vasoactive inotropic score and lactate levels.

Methods: Forty-four patients with CHD and 36 healthy neonates were included in the study.

Medial olivary complex reflex in term newborns with hyperbilirubinemia.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the integrity of the efferent auditory pathways of newborns that had high hyperbilirubinemia levels and required treatment due to these and healthy newborns.

Methods: Term-born (37 weeks or later) infants that were brought to the Newborn Polyclinic of the Başkent University Hospital were included in the study. The study included a total of 84 infants including healthy newborns (n = 42) and those that had jaundice and were receiving phototherapy (n = 42).

Hemolytic anemia caused by non-D minor blood incompatibilities in a newborn.

Hyperbilirubinemia is one of the most widely seen cause of neonatal morbidity. Besides ABO and Rh isoimmunization, minor blood incompatibilities have been also been identified as the other causes of severe newborn jaundice. We report a newborn with indirect hyperbilirubinemia caused by minor blood group incompatibilities (P1, M, N, s and Duffy) whose hemolysis was successfully managed with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.

Effect of breast milk and sucrose on pain and perfusion index during examination for retinopathy of prematurity.

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of breast milk and sucrose on pain scores and perfusion index (PI) and to evaluate the alteration in pain and PI during retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) examination.

Methods: This prospective randomized controlled study was conducted with preterm infants who were born in our hospital, hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit and whose gestational week was <32 weeks and birth weight was <1500 g. The preterm infants who would undergo ROP examination were allocated to three groups according to simple randomization method as follows: group 1: only local anesthetic eye drops, proparacaine HCl ophthalmic solution 0.

Neonatal cerebral sinovenous thrombosis: Two cases, two different gene polymorphisms and risk factors.

Turan Ö, Anuk-İnce D, Olcay L, Sezer T, Gülleroğlu K, Yılmaz-Çelik Z, Ecevit A. Neonatal cerebral sinovenous thrombosis: Two cases, two different gene polymorphisms and risk factors. Turk J Pediatr 2017; 59: 71-75.

A rare large mutation involving two exons of the SP-B gene in an infant with severe respiratory distress.

Takcı Ş, Anuk-İnce D, Louha M, Couderc R, Çakar N, Köseoğlu RD, Ateş Ö. A rare large mutation involving two exons of the SP-B gene in an infant with severe respiratory distress. Turk J Pediatr 2017; 59: 483-486.

Evaluation of peripheral perfusion in term newborns before and after Yintang (EX-HN 3) massage.

Objective: To identify how acupressure on the acupoint Yintang (EX-HN 3) impacts oxygen saturation, pulse rate, and peripheral perfusion in term-born infants without underlying disease.

Methods: Infants born between weeks 37 and 42 of gestation were included in this study. The polyclinic's neonatology room was noise-controlled and made half-dark to prevent the perfusion index from being confounded.

Acupressure at BL60 and K3 Points Before Heel Lancing in Preterm Infants.

Context: Acupressure is an ancient Chinese healing art. In this pain-relieving method, the fingers are used to press key acupuncture points on the skin surface that stimulates the body׳s regulatory processes.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acupressure at Kun Lun (UB60) and Taixi (K3) points for pain management in preterm infants prior to heel lancing for blood collection.

Goniometer Measurements of Oral Labial Angle and Evaluation of Oral Motor Reflexes in Preterm Infants: Comparison to Findings in Term Infants.

To date, no study has evaluated changes in oral labial angle as preterm infants mature. The main purpose of this study was to document goniometer measurements of the labial angle of the mouth in preterm infants, to assess changes with development, to compare to findings in healthy term infants, and also evaluate oral motor reflexes in these groups. Seventy-eight preterm infants and 45 healthy term infants were recruited for the prospective study.

Inferior Vena Cava Oxygen Saturation during the First Three Postnatal Days in Preterm Newborns with and without Patent Ductus Arteriosus.

Background: Inferior vena cava (IVC) oxygen saturation as an indicator of mixed venous oxygenation may be valuable for understanding postnatal adaptations in newborn infants. It is unknown how this parameter progresses in critically ill premature infants.

Aims: To investigate IVC oxygen saturation during the first three days of life in preterm infants with and without patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).

Congenital hyperinsulinism in a newborn with a novel homozygous mutation (p.Q392H) in the ABCC8 gene.

Congenital hyperinsulinism is the most frequent cause of persistent hypoglycemia in infancy. We present the case of a preterm, large-for-gestation-age infant with congenital hyperinsulinism who was found to have a novel p.Q392H homozygous mutation in the ABCC8 gene.

Association of respiratory distress syndrome and perinatal hypoxia with histologic chorioamnionitis in preterm infants.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between neonatal mortality-morbidity and pregnancies with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), particularly those complicated by histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA), in preterm infants. A retrospective study was conducted on 58 preterm neonates born to 46 pregnant women with PPROM. Maternal characteristics, placental examination, and neonatal morbidity and mortality were analyzed.

Noninvasive evaluation of swallowing sound is an effective way of diagnosing feeding maturation in newborn infants.

Aim: Despite extensive research, there is still controversy regarding the time at which sucking and swallowing functions mature in preterm infants. This study aimed to evaluate maturation using the noninvasive method of swallowing sound.

Methods: We compared 52 preterm infants of between 27 and 36 weeks' gestational age with a control group of 42 healthy full-term infants.

Poor postnatal weight gain predicts stage 3+ retinopathy of prematurity in very low birth weight infants.

Multiple systemic risk factors are associated with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). We analyzed the role of low weight gain (WG) to predict the development of stage 3+ ROP among preterm infants. This study included 126 newborns with birth weight ≤1500 g and gestational age <32 weeks.

Peripherally inserted central venous catheters in critically ill premature neonates.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety of peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) and their complications in critically ill premature neonates.

Methods: A retrospective collection of data of infants with very low birth weight (VLBW) who underwent PICC placement over a 2-year period. Gestational age, birth weight (BW), sex, site of catheter placement, reason for catheter removal, duration of the catheter use, proven sepsis, type of the reported organism and the rate of complications were collected.

"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.

Comparison of cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials between late preterm and term infants.

Recent investigations have shown that late preterm infants have increased risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, neurosensory impairment, and emotional, behavior and learning problems. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) abnormality may partly contribute to these problems. Our aim was to measure VEMP in late preterm infants and to compare the findings between late preterm and term infants.

Investigating the effect of black tea consumption during pregnancy on the oxidant/antioxidant status of breastmilk.

Objective: Black tea is associated with antioxidant properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the amount of black tea consumption during pregnancy on the oxidant/antioxidant status of breastmilk.

Subjects And Methods: Breastmilk was obtained from 30 mothers and analyzed for lipid peroxidation based on levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and of reduced glutathione (GSH).

Acupuncture in preterm babies during minor painful procedures.

Objective: To evaluate analgesic effects of acupuncture in preterm neonates during minor painful procedures.

Methods: Ten preterm neonates requiring heel prick for blood gas analysis were enrolled in the study, which had a crossover design. Oxygen saturation, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate, and crying duration were recorded before and after heel prick.

The use of chloride-sodium ratio in the evaluation of metabolic acidosis in critically ill neonates.

Acid-base disturbances have been usually evaluated with the traditional Henderson-Hasselbach method and Stewart's physiochemical approach by quantifying anions of tissue acids (TA). It is hypothesized that an increase in tissue acids during metabolic acidosis would cause a compensatory decrease in the plasma chloride (Cl) relative to sodium (Cl-Na ratio) in order to preserve electroneutral balance. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the use of Cl-Na ratio as a bedside tool to evaluate the identifying raised TA in neonates as an alternative to complex calculations of Stewart's physiochemical approach.