Identification of risk factors in pre-term infants with abnormal general movements.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal risk factors for neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) with the outcomes of General Movement (GM) Assessment (GMA) in pre-term infants at 3-5 months of age. We sought to identify the risk factors associated with the predictors of psychomotor development in pre-term newborns, such as normal fidgety movements (FMs), absent FMs, or abnormal FMs, assessed during the fidgety period of motor development.

Methods: The SYNAGIS program (prophylactic of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection) was used to identify risk factors for the development of neuromotor deficits in 164 pre-term infants who were at high risk of developing these deficits.

The influence of cord blood renalase and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) on perinatal and anthropometric parameters of newborns of mothers with gestational hypertension.

Background: Renalase is an enzyme secreted by the kidneys, which takes part in the regulation of arterial pressure, myocardial contractility and modulation of vascular resistance, but its effect on renalase levels in newborns has not been studied yet. The levels of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) were also evaluated as a marker of oxidative stress.

Objectives: This study examined whether renalase and AOPP levels are different in the cord blood of newborns exposed to gestational hypertension (HT).

The influence of gestational hypertension on cord blood adiponectin levels: a case-controlled study.

Introduction: Gestational hypertension is one of the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth worldwide and may be associated with metabolic disorders. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-specific plasma protein with insulin-sensitizing, vascular-protective, anti-inflammatory properties, and its role in metabolic disorders in prenatal and postnatal development in neonates remains unclear. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether gestational hypertension is a condition lowering cord blood adiponectin level.

Evaluation of serum chemokine RANTES concentration as a biomarker in the diagnosis of early-onset severe infections in neonates.

Objective: Only a few studies on improving the early diagnosis of severe neonatal infections have focused on the role of serum RANTES concentration (sRC). The aim of the study was to establish sRC in neonates with early-onset infections, according to their gestational age, sex, birth asphyxia, mode of delivery and value of some biochemical and hematological parameters.

Material/methods: The analysis comprised 129 neonates, including 89 infected (52 preterm, 37 full-term; 43 with sepsis, 39 with congenital pneumonia, 7 with severe urinary tract infection) and 40 healthy (control group, 25 full-term, 15 preterm).

The first de novo non-mosaic 14q11.2q13.1 tetrasomy of paternal origin.

Tetrasomy 14q11q13 is a very rare chromosome aberration. So far, only five patients with such an imbalance were described. All these patients had a de novo marker chromosome idic(14)(q13) leading to a partial tetrasomy of chromosome 14.

[Congenital sternal cleft: a case report].

Sternal cleft is a very rare congenital defect of sternum, reported only in limited number of publications. Surgical treatment in neonatal period is preferred. The case of child with congenital sternal cleft operated in 17 month of life with successful outcome of repair was reported.

A multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing effectiveness of two nasal continuous positive airway pressure devices in very-low-birth-weight infants.

Objective: Many studies suggest nasal continuous positive airway pressure is an effective and relatively complication-free means of respiratory support in premature infants. However, only limited data exist regarding the practical aspects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure delivery, including the best way to provide the positive airway pressure.

Design: Our aim was to compare the results of treatment using two different nasal continuous positive airway pressure devices: variable flow Infant Flow and constant flow nasal continuous positive airway pressure in two different groups of very-low-birth-weight infants in a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

An analysis of factors determining serum leptin concentration in healthy and infected newborns.

Objective: The effect leptin on fetal growth in healthy and infected newborns is not well known. This study is aimed at: 1) evaluating serum leptin concentration in full term and preterm, healthy and infected newborns, according to their gender, birth asphyxia, intrauterine and neonatal infections, and 2) assessing the correlation between serum leptin levels and anthropometric parameters among healthy and infected newborns.

Materials And Methods: The study involved 146 newborns: 73 full-term and 73 preterm, 86 male and 60 female, 56 healthy and 90 infected, aged from 2nd to 4th day of life.

Effect of intrauterine infection and perinatal risk factors on serum concentrations of insulin like growth factor (IGF-I) in full-term and preterm newborns.

Objectives: IGF-I is believed to be a key factor in fetal growth dynamics It is widely known, that serious early-onset infection in the newborn is a risk factor for further developmental disturbances in a child. However, effect of congenital infection as well as an influence of infectious and non-infectious perinatal risk factors on circulating IGF-I concentrations in newborns has not been examined, yet.

Design: Thus, the aim of this study was: 1) evaluation of IGF-I venous blood serum concentration in full-term and premature infants considering their sex, occurrence of intrauterine infection and perinatal risk factors; 2) establishing the relationship between IGF-I serum concentrations and chosen anthropometric parameters values in infected and healthy newborns.

[Spirometric tests in school-age children with past bronchopulmonary dysplasia].

The aim of the paper was to estimate 9 spirometric parameters in 38 children aged 8-12, among them in16 with past bronchopulmonary dysplasia and in 22 healthy ones. Mean values of VC, FEV1, FVC Ex, PEF, MEF 75, MEF 50 and MEF 25 in children with past bronchopulmonary dysplasia were significantly lower than in healthy children. In children with past bronchopulmonary dysplasia VC was decreased comparing to normal values in 94% of cases, FVC Ex and MEF 50 in 75% and FEV1 in 63% of subjects.

[Quantitative changes of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, HLA-DR+, T lymphocytes and CD25+ cells in eutrophic full-term neonates with staphylococcal septicemia].

Objective: Influence of staphylococcal septicemia on changes of share and changes of amount of CD3+ lymphocytes and their subpopulation as well as CD25+ cells in eutrophic full-term neonates.

Materials And Methods: In 52 full-term neonates, with birthweight ranged from 2900 to 4500 g, including 30 infants with staphylococcal septicemia caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis (19 cases), S. sciuri (2 cases) S.