Effect of right lateral position with head elevation on tracheal aspirate pepsin in ventilated preterm neonates: randomized controlled trial.

To evaluate the effect of right lateral positioning in comparison with supine positioning on tracheal aspirate pepsin levels as a marker of aspiration of gastric contents in ventilated preterm neonates. This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 60 ventilated preterm neonates <35 weeks; 30 neonates were nursed in right lateral position for 6 hours while the other 30 neonates were nursed in supine position for 6 hours. Tracheal aspirate sample was obtained from each neonate in both the groups just after the end of 6 hours and pepsin level was measured.

Surveillance of health care-associated infections in a tertiary hospital neonatal intensive care unit in Egypt: 1-year follow-up.

Background: Reported rates of neonatal health care-associated infections (HAIs) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have risen rapidly in recent years. Little data are available in Egypt, however. The aim of the present study was to determine the incidence of and risk factors for HAIs in the NICU of Ain Shams University Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Serum OX40 ligand levels in asthmatic children: a potential biomarker of severity and persistence.

The costimulatory molecule OX40 and its ligand, OX40L, mediate key aspects of allergic airway inflammation in animal models of asthma, including eosinophilic airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and T-helper type 2 (Th2) polarization. However, involvement of these molecules in Th2-dominated allergen-induced childhood asthma remains unclear. Therefore, we sought to examine OX40L expression in pediatric asthma across disease activity and attack severity.