Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in a Turkish cohort: association of vitamin B12.

Background: Deficiency of vitamin B12 (VitB12) causes failure of erytrocyte maturation leading to cell lysis. Red blood cell lysis causes excess heme production that ends with hyperbilirubinemia. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the role of VitB12 in neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NNH) with prolonged jaundice and to compare patients with control group who did not develop hyperbilirubinemia.

Microvillus inclusion disease associated with necrotizing enterocolitis in a premature infant.

Microvillus inclusion disease is one of the congenital diarrheal disorders characterized by the appearance of inclusion bodies on the intestinal epithelium. To date there are a few cases and also a few other associated finding reports related to this life-threatening disease in literature. In this report, we present a premature infant with microvillus inclusion disease that was associated with necrotizing enterocolitis.

Reliable and powerful laboratory markers of cobalamin deficiency in the newborn: plasma and urinary methylmalonic acid.

Background: Diagnosing cobalamin deficiency is critical, given the high prevalence of cobalamin deficiency particularly in developing countries. Measuring serum cobalamin levels is of limited diagnostic sensitivity, in other words its specificity and sensitivity are low. The present study investigated the changes in the levels of metabolic markers - plasma homocysteine, plasma methylmalonic acid (MMA) and urinary MMA - of cobalamin metabolism.

Levels of ischemia-modified albumin in transient tachypnea of the newborn.

Aim: The aim of the article is to evaluate ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels in infants with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) and to find out its relation to the disease severity. Patients and

Methods: Infants with > 37 weeks of gestation, without any respiratory and cardiac symptoms and without any maternal health problems, and diagnosed as TTN were allocated as the study group. Patients with obvious retractions, grunting, hypercarbia (Pco 2 > 60 mm Hg) or hypoxia (oxygen saturation < 88% with Fio 2 of 0.

Severe vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women and their newborns in Turkey.

Objectives: Vitamin D deficiency is an important health problem in pregnant women and their infants in sunny countries. Low socio-economic status (LSES), covered dressing style, pregnancies in winter season and having dark skin are the major risk factors for vitamin D deficiency. The present study evaluated serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] concentrations in pregnant women and in their newborns and determined the risk factors in LSES cities in Turkey.

Fluconazole administration leading to anaphylactic shock in a preterm newborn.

Preterm infants, born with immature innate immunity, are less likely to develop anaphylaxis. Fluconazole prophylaxis during the first six weeks of life decreases invasive candidiasis in very low birth weight infants. Adverse effects of fluconazole are very rare.

Role of immunoglobulin in neuronal apoptosis in a neonatal rat model of hypoxic ischemic brain injury.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of immunoglobulin (Ig) in a neonatal hypoxic ischemic (HI) rat model. Seven-day-old rat pups were randomly assigned to control, hypoxia and hypoxia + Ig groups. The rats in the hypoxia +Ig group were intraperitoneally administered 1 g/kg Ig once, immediately after hypoxia.

Octreotide treatment in a neonate with non-chylous pleural effusion.

Fetal pleural effusion is a rare condition. While it may regress spontaneously, it may also continue up to the post-natal period. This condition may be treated by thoracentesis, thoracoabdominal shunt application and pleurodesis in the intrauterine period while thoracentesis or tube thoracostomy may be used in the post-natal period.

Pentoxifylline therapy attenuates intestinal injury in rat pups with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of post-ischemic pentoxifylline (PTX) therapy on the gut injury in neonatal rat model of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

Methods: Seven-day-old Wistar rat pups (n = 24) of either sex, delivered spontaneously, were used in this experimental study. Seven-day-old rat pups were randomly divided into three groups.

The effects of intraperitoneal pentoxifylline treatment in rat pups with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of postischemic treatment with pentoxifylline on the cytokine gene expressions and neuronal apoptosis in neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Methods: Seven-day-old Wistar rat pups (n = 40) of either sex, delivered spontaneously, were used in this experimental study. Control group (n = 8): after median neck incision was made, neither ligation nor hypoxia was performed, ischemia group (n = 16): 0.

Possible autosomal recessive inheritance in an infant with acrofacial dysostosis similar to Nager syndrome.

The acrofacial dysostosis syndromes, which are characterized by malformations of the craniofacial region and limbs, are a clinically heterogeneous group of disorders. Based primarily on the of the pattern of limb defects two major groups have emerged: Nager syndrome with predominantly preaxial malformations plus mandibulofacial dysostosis (severe micrognathia and malar hypoplasia) and Miller syndrome with postaxial malformations plus mandibulofacial dysostosis. Among these syndromes, Nager syndrome is a rare condition but the most common form of acrofacial dysostosis.

Is the strength of direct antiglobulin test important for the duration of phototherapy?

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the grades of positivity of the direct antiglobulin test (DAT) and their effects on the duration of phototherapy for neonatal jaundice. DAT reactions of blood samples were graded as (1+), (2+), (3+) and (4+). DAT was positive in 80 neonates who were exposed to phototherapy due to jaundice.

Can we safely administer the recommended dose of phenobarbital in very low birth weight infants?

Aim: We investigated whether the recommended phenobarbital loading dose of 15-20 mg/kg with maintenance of 3-4 mg/kg/day can safely be administered to very low birth weight preterm newborns with seizures.

Methods: Twenty-four convulsive preterms of <1,500 g were enrolled in the study. Phenobarbital was administered intravenously with a loading dose of 15 mg/kg in approximately 10-15 min.

The role of VEGF and its soluble receptor VEGFR-1 in preterm newborns of preeclamptic mothers with RDS.

Objective: We measured vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and soluble VEGF receptor 1(sVEGFR-1) concentrations in cord blood and tracheal aspirate fluid (TAF) in order to investigate the role of them in lung maturation and the severity of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in preterm newborns, born to preeclamptic mothers.

Methods: Newborns were divided into two groups as preterms born to preeclamptic mothers and preterms born to healthy mothers. They were also divided into two groups as severe RDS (sRDS) and mild RDS (mRDS) according to the need of surfactant and extent or type of ventilatory support.

Investigation of the serum glucocorticoid kinase 1 gene in patients with transient tachypnea of the newborn.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a role of the serum glucocorticoid kinase (SGK) 1 gene, which has an effect on the control of the epithelial sodium channels.

Materials And Method: This study included patients who were diagnosed with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) with more than 37 weeks of gestation. As the control group, healthy newborns of the same gestational age were included.

Cerebellar herniation after lumbar puncture in galactosemic newborn.

Cerebral edema resulting in elevated intracranial pressure is a well-known complication of galactosemia. Lumbar puncture was performed for the diagnosis of clinically suspected bacterial meningitis. Herniation of cerebral tissue through the foramen magnum is not a common problem in neonatal intensive care units because of the open fontanelle in infants.

Beneficial effect of triple treatment plus immunoglobulin in experimental nephrotic syndrome.

Combinations of antiproteinurics, including angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitors + angiotensin II receptor antagonist + statins, are promising choices in the treatment of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. We aimed to investigate the effects of high doses of immunoglobulin in addition to these combinations in rats with adriamycin-induced nephrosis. The study included 40 rats allocated into five groups: control, nephrotic syndrome without treatment, dual therapy (DT) with enalapril + losartan, triple therapy (TT) with enalapril + losartan + simvastatin, and quadruple therapy (QT) with enalapril + losartan + simvastatin + a high dose of immunoglobulin.