Incidence and outcome of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in selected groups of preterm and full-term neonates under intensive care.

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the leading cause of mental retardation and hearing impairment. Examination for the presence of CMV infection was carried out in a selected population of 70 neonates. Urine samples were tested for CMV by means of a nested polymerase chain reaction.

[Fetal renal ultrasound investigation in toxaemic pregnancies].

Introduction: A relationship was sought between renal hyperechogenicity and the hypoxic state of fetuses.

Material And Methods: 120 pathological pregnancies were examined between the 28th and 36th weeks. The echogenicity of the fetal kidneys was examined with Combison 530 3D ultrasound equipment fitted with a 3-5 MHz transabdominal transducer.

Antioxidant enzyme activities are decreased in preterm infants and in neonates born via caesarean section.

Objectives: To investigate the antioxidant defense potential of human neonates according to gestational age and mode of delivery.

Study Design: Four study groups were established, full-term normal spontaneous vaginal delivery (FT-NSVD, n=24), full-term caesarean section (FT-CS, n=19), preterm normal spontaneous vaginal delivery (PT-NSVD, n=15) preterm caesarean section (PT-CS, n=21). The activity of catalase (CAT), glutathion peroxidase (GPX), Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) were determined from cord blood.

Arylsulfatase-A in umbilical cord blood: gestational age and mode of delivery do not influence enzyme activity.

The possibility of using umbilical cord blood for transplantation in several enzyme deficiencies has received increasing attention because of the availability of cord blood, the reduced incidence of post-transplantation complications, such as graft-versus-host disease and the possible accomplishment of good corrective results following transplantation, even in cases of greater HLA disparity. The use of hematopoietic stem cells from unrelated donors is even more highly recommended for the treatment of inherited enzyme deficiencies, because it might reduce the risk of the transplanted cells originating from a carrier of the defect, which might have an inadequate corrective ability. Our study was designed to elucidate whether the gestational age and mode of delivery influences the arylsulfatase-A activity in the umbilical cord blood.