Special relationships between fetal inflammatory response syndrome and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in neonates.

Objective: To confirm previous known relationships between Fetal Inflammatory Response Syndrome (FIRS) and neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and to present information on previously unknown special relationships between inflammatory variables and BPD.

Study Design: At delivery, we obtained biological specimens including umbilical cord venous blood for plasma interleukin-6 levels, as well as placental histology and bacteriology. Among other neonatal outcomes, we collected prospective information on BPD.

Association between lenticulostriate vasculopathy (LSV) and neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).

Objectives: To determine whether there is an unconfounded association between neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and lenticulostriate vasculopathy (LSV (also known as thalamostriate or mineralizing vasculopathy)).

Study Design: During the conduct of the Magnesium and Neurologic Endpoints Trial (MagNET), a randomized controlled trial involving maternal, hence fetal, exposure to antenatal magnesium sulfate in the context of preterm labor, head ultrasounds were obtained for each of the surviving neonates. Because of our previous experience in the diagnosis of LSV, when ascertaining the presence of IVH, as called for by the research protocol of our study, the presence or absence of LSV was also determined.

Fetal gender and cocaine exposure as determinants of cord blood gamma-glutamyl transferase activity.

Objective: The serum activity of the hepatic enzyme gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is elevated in the newborn relative to older age groups. Few reports to date have studied the influence of perinatal factors on neonatal serum GGT and no study has assessed the influence of maternal drug ingestion.

Study Design: Cord blood was randomly collected from 234 liveborn infants and correlated with a range of maternal and fetal perinatal variables to assess influences on cord blood GGT.