T-cell subpopulations αβ and γδ in cord blood of very preterm infants: the influence of intrauterine infection.

Preterm infants are very susceptible to infections. Immune response mechanisms in this group of patients and factors that influence cord blood mononuclear cell populations remain poorly understood and are considered insufficient. However, competent immune functions of the cord blood mononuclear cells are also described.

[Biological role of obestatin in physiology and pathophysiology].

Obestatin is a 23 amino acid peptide encoded by the same gene as ghrelin and synthetized in the gastrointestinal tract. The first results of the investigations on the physiological function of obestatin pointed to its role in the reduction of appetite, delay of stomach emptying and decrease of body weight gains which may testify the fact that this peptide is an endogenous antagonist for ghrelin. The results of the last 5 years investigations on the physiological role of obestatin presented in this paper contradict such a statement and prove that obestatin is an independent hormone, participating in many physiological processes in the organism which may include the development of the gastrointestinal tract in the early postnatal period.

[Neonatal outcome after cesarean section].

Cesarean section is the most commonly performed procedure all over the world. Both American and European data reveal constant and steady increase of pregnancies resolved by a cesarean section. The reasons include: growing number of medical indications or requests of the pregnant women.

Immunologic properties differ in preterm infants fed olive oil vs soy-based lipid emulsions during parenteral nutrition.

Background: In the first period of life, premature infants need parenteral nutrition. Lipid emulsions (LEs), which are a part of parenteral nutrition, are known as potent immunological modulators and may therefore influence the immune status of parenterally fed infants. The aim of the study was to compare tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 production in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of premature infants parenterally fed with 2 LEs: olive oil (OO) and soybean oil (SO).

[Recommended treatment of apnea in premature infants. A review based on literature and own experience].

The authors reviewed the literature concerning different methods of treatment of apnea in premature infants. The authors consider that, apart from pharmacological treatment, noninvasive respiratory support methods play an important role in the prevention and treatment of newborns with apnea. The aim of the study is to present current recommendations concerning the principles of prevention and treatment of apnea in premature infants.

[Effects of glutamine supplemented parenteral nutrition on the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, nosocomial sepsis and length of hospital stay in very low birth weight infants].

Introduction: Parenteral feeding is the basic way of nutrition in the first day of life in infants with very low birth weight. Due to its instability glutamine is not included in aminoacid solutions used for parenteral nutrition. Meanwhile glutamine is an important aminoacid, which plays a major role in the maturation of the gastrointestinal tract as well as the immunological system.

[Pulsed Doppler measurements of flow velocities in the intracranial and abdominal arteries of newborns of diabetic mothers].

Objective: To define the character of haemodynamic changes and brain-sparing phenomena in newborns of diabetic mothers.

Methods: On the basis of blood indices flow in the middle cerebral artery (MCA), anterior cerebral artery (ACA), right renal artery (RRA) and the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) the character of haemodynamic change and the brain-sparing phenomena in 53 newborns of diabetic mothers was analyzed. As a control group we chose 29 healthy newborns delivered at term.

Latrogenic complications due to the nasogastric and rectal cannula in neonates.

Background: An abnormal position of nasogastric and rectal tubes can be the cause of iatrogenic injuries Most often it can happen in neonates and premature infants.

Material/methods: From 1982 through 2003, we observed 9 neonates (8 premature infants) with perforation of the alimentary tract.

Results: In most of these patients the only radiological sign was displacement of the nasogastric tube.

A multicenter, randomized, masked, comparison trial of lucinactant, colfosceril palmitate, and beractant for the prevention of respiratory distress syndrome among very preterm infants.

Background And Objective: Evidence suggests that synthetic surfactants consisting solely of phospholipids can be improved through the addition of peptides, such as sinapultide, that mimic the action of human surfactant protein-B (SP-B). A synthetic surfactant containing a mimic of SP-B may also reduce the potential risks associated with the use of animal-derived products. Our objective was to compare the efficacy and safety of a novel synthetic surfactant containing a functional SP-B mimic (lucinactant; Discovery Laboratories, Doylestown, PA) with those of a non-protein-containing synthetic surfactant (colfosceril palmitate; GlaxoSmithKline, Brentford, United Kingdom) and a bovine-derived surfactant (beractant; Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL) in the prevention of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and RDS-related death.

[Effect of maternal pharmacological treatment of preterm delivery for neonatal condition].

In article the fetal and neonatal side effects of tocolytic agents were presented. Described the cardiovascular; pulmonary metabolic, neurological and others complications during administration of magnesium sulfate, prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor, calcium channel blockers and oxytocin antagonist.