Publications by authors named "Hiroyuki Ichiba"
Neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a serious condition; many survivors develop neurological impairments, including cerebral palsy and intellectual disability. Preclinical studies show that the systemic administration of umbilical cord blood cells (UCBCs) is beneficial for neonatal HIE. We conducted a single-arm clinical study to examine the feasibility and safety of intravenous infusion of autologous UCBCs for newborns with HIE.
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- A preliminary study assessed the safety and feasibility of using erythropoietin (Epo), magnesium sulfate, and hypothermia together to treat neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
- Nine neonates received the combination therapy shortly after birth, with no serious adverse events or complications recorded during hospital care.
- By 18 months, while most patients completed their therapy successfully, three exhibited severe neurodevelopmental disabilities, indicating mixed long-term outcomes.
Meconium obstruction (MO) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants is a challenging disease to treat. We performed ultrasound-guided hydrostatic enema on six ELBW infants diagnosed with MO. We consider this procedure to be safe and effective, and recommend it as a treatment for MO in ELBW infants.
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- Chorioamnionitis (CAM) increases the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature infants, highlighting its significance in infant health.
- The study measured levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), Krebs von den Lungen 6 (KL-6), and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) in the amniotic fluid to assess inflammation and lung damage.
- Results indicated that higher levels of these markers were linked to more severe CAM and a greater likelihood of developing BPD in affected infants.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to determine if aggressive nutrition improves growth and neurodevelopment in extremely low birth weight infants born appropriate for gestational age.
- 137 infants were divided into two groups: one received standard nutrition and the other aggressive nutrition, with a focus on amino acid intake starting immediately after birth.
- Results showed that infants in the aggressive nutrition group had better head circumference and cognitive-adaptive scores by age three compared to those in the standard group, indicating potential benefits of aggressive nutrition for neurodevelopment, which should be validated in larger trials.
Background: Vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation (VGAM) is a rare pediatric vascular malformation of the brain. Genetic backgrounds are not well elucidated. We report on a monozygotic twin with VGAM and his endovascular treatment, and the genetic analyses of the twins and their parents.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRapid resuscitation and appropriate transportation of sick infants can greatly improve infant survival and neurological prognosis. To gain an understanding of the status of neonatal transport in Japan, we conducted a survey of neonatal transportation capabilities at perinatal medical centers across the country. Survey content included the number of neonatal transportation cases and the method of transportation.
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- The study aimed to explore how glucocorticoids, erythropoietin (EPO), and spironolactone affect lung cells from extremely premature infants with chronic lung disease (CLD).
- Researchers treated human lung fibroblasts and epithelial cells with varying concentrations of these substances along with tracheal aspirate fluid (TAF) taken from affected infants.
- Results showed that certain doses of glucocorticoids and EPO inhibited fibroblast growth but encouraged epithelial cell proliferation, suggesting potential therapeutic uses in managing CLD in premature infants.
Chorioamnionitis (CAM) can initiate fetal lung injury resulting in neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). While neonates with BPD have higher amniotic fluid concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines, overexpression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) also appears important in the pathogenesis of BPD. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between TGF-beta(1) and CAM-induced fetal lung injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFX-linked lissencephaly with abnormal genitalia (XLAG) is a rare disorder caused by mutations in the aristaless-related homeobox (ARX) gene, located on Xp22.13. Arx-null mice show loss of tangential migration of GABAergic interneurons, presumably being related to caudal ganglionic eminence tangential migration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The immature brain is more susceptible to seizures than mature brains but less vulnerable to seizure-induced neuronal loss. We studied age-related susceptibility and vulnerability to kainic acid-induced status epilepticus (KASE) in rats in terms of hippocampal expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase B receptor (TrkB).
Methods: Immunohistochemical and Western analysis were performed after kainic acid (KA)-induced status epilepticus (SE).
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to describe the characteristics and morbidity of very low birth weight infants, to identify the medical intervention for these infants, and to evaluate the factors affecting the mortality of these infants among the participating hospitals.
Methods: A large multicenter neonatal research network that included level III NICUs from throughout Japan was established. A standardized mortality rate was formulated by giving a ratio of the observed deaths and the predicted deaths based on a 100-g birth weight interval mortality.
Background: A neuroprotective effect of MgSO(4) has been shown in some animal models of perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. The aim of the present paper was to determine whether postnatal MgSO(4) infusion (250 mg/kg per day i.v.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLung injury alters the expression and release of growth factors that disrupt postnatal pulmonary development in newborns and causes chronic lung disease (CLD). The effect of these factors, released into the airways of newborns with CLD, on cell proliferation and collagen production was characterized in vitro. Human fetal lung fibroblast and alveolar-epithelial-like cell lines (FHs 738Lu and A549, respectively) were exposed to tracheal effluents from infants with CLD (mean gestation, 24.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The present study describes the outcome at 3 years in term and near-term infants treated with inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN).
Methods: The study population consisted of 18 infants delivered at 34 weeks by best obstetric estimate who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care units with a diagnosis of PPHN.
Results: Eighteen infants (mean gestational age 38.
Objective: To determine whether postnatal MgSO(4) infusion (250 mg/kg per day) for 3 days is both safe and able to improve outcome in infants with severe birth asphyxia, as had been suggested by a small pilot study.
Methods: A multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted. Entry criteria included 5-min Apgar score of seven or less and either failure to initiate spontaneous respiration at 10 min after birth because of asphyxia, or occurrence of clinically apparent seizures within 24 h after birth.
Objectives: To evaluate the role of growth factors in amniotic fluid and in human milk on gastrointestinal adaptation of the fetus and very low-birth-weight infants, the effects of these fluids and multiple growth factors were investigated in a human fetal small intestinal cell line (FHs 74 Int).
Methods: After FHs 74 Int cells were incubated with amniotic fluid, human milk, or recombinant growth factors, growth-promoting activity was measured by [3H]-thymidine incorporation into cells.
Results: Incubating cells with amniotic fluid or human milk promoted growth dose dependently.