Changes in thyroid hormone concentrations during neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Objective: Thyroid hormone concentrations can be disturbed during critical illness. Our aim was to determine changes in thyroid hormone concentrations during neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Study Design: We included 21 ECMO-treated neonates.

Nationwide Evaluation of Congenital Hypothyroidism Screening during Neonatal Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Background: Thyroid hormone concentrations may deviate from normal values during critical illness. This condition is known as nonthyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS), and it can influence the results of screening for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) during neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Objectives: To determine the incidence of aberrant CH screening results in ECMO-treated neonates, to identify possible determinants, and to follow up patients with abnormal thyroid hormone concentrations.

Metabolic disturbances of the vitamin A pathway in human diaphragmatic hernia.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a common life-threatening congenital anomaly resulting in high rates of perinatal death and neonatal respiratory distress. Some of the nonisolated forms are related to single-gene mutations or genomic rearrangements, but the genetics of the isolated forms (60% of cases) still remains a challenging issue. Retinoid signaling (RA) is critical for both diaphragm and lung development, and it has been hypothesized that subtle disruptions of this pathway could contribute to isolated CDH etiology.

Postmortem biopsy to obtain lung tissue in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Background: The accrual of human tissues from autopsies for diagnostic and translational research has decreased significantly over the last decades.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate our experience with lung biopsy through a minithoracotomy as an alternative for obtaining postmortem tissue when full autopsy is refused in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) patients.

Methods: Within 2 h of death we routinely asked parents for permission to perform an autopsy.

Dietary vitamin A intake below the recommended daily intake during pregnancy and the risk of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in the offspring.

Background: Vitamin A has been related to the etiology of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). We performed a case-control study to investigate whether maternal dietary vitamin A intake is related to CDH in the offspring.

Methods: Thirty-one pregnancies diagnosed with CDH and 46 control pregnancies were included during the study.