Evaluation of serum chemokine RANTES concentration as a biomarker in the diagnosis of early-onset severe infections in neonates.

Objective: Only a few studies on improving the early diagnosis of severe neonatal infections have focused on the role of serum RANTES concentration (sRC). The aim of the study was to establish sRC in neonates with early-onset infections, according to their gestational age, sex, birth asphyxia, mode of delivery and value of some biochemical and hematological parameters.

Material/methods: The analysis comprised 129 neonates, including 89 infected (52 preterm, 37 full-term; 43 with sepsis, 39 with congenital pneumonia, 7 with severe urinary tract infection) and 40 healthy (control group, 25 full-term, 15 preterm).

Geospatial clustering of gastroschisis in Poland: Data from the Polish Registry of Congenital Malformations (PRCM).

Objectives: The aims of this study were: to evaluate the prevalence of abdominal wall defects in the Polish population, to analyze temporal trends in the prevalence, to identify areas (clusters) of high risk of abdominal wall defects, and to characterize, with respect to epidemiology, children with abdominal wall defects and their mothers in the area defined as a cluster.

Material And Methods: We used isolated congenital malformations (gastroschisis Q79.3 and omphalocele Q79.

The first de novo non-mosaic 14q11.2q13.1 tetrasomy of paternal origin.

Tetrasomy 14q11q13 is a very rare chromosome aberration. So far, only five patients with such an imbalance were described. All these patients had a de novo marker chromosome idic(14)(q13) leading to a partial tetrasomy of chromosome 14.

Spatial and temporal clustering of isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate in Poland.

Background: Geographic variation in the prevalence of isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate may be due to exogenous environmental factors or genetic variation. In this study, we aim to evaluate the prevalence of isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate in Polish urban and rural environments in order to identify geographic areas with high prevalence (defect clusters).

Methods: We use all cases of congenital malformations reported to the Polish Registry of Congenital Malformations in the years 1998-2008 from the total population of 2,362,502 births.

Associations between endogenous dimethylarginines and renal function in healthy children and adolescents.

The structural isomer of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), is eliminated almost entirely by urinary excretion and considered a sensitive index of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). However, reports on this relationship in healthy subjects younger than 18 years of age are rare. Therefore, our aim was to investigate relations between endogenous dimethylarginines and renal function indices in healthy children and adolescents.

An analysis of factors determining serum leptin concentration in healthy and infected newborns.

Objective: The effect leptin on fetal growth in healthy and infected newborns is not well known. This study is aimed at: 1) evaluating serum leptin concentration in full term and preterm, healthy and infected newborns, according to their gender, birth asphyxia, intrauterine and neonatal infections, and 2) assessing the correlation between serum leptin levels and anthropometric parameters among healthy and infected newborns.

Materials And Methods: The study involved 146 newborns: 73 full-term and 73 preterm, 86 male and 60 female, 56 healthy and 90 infected, aged from 2nd to 4th day of life.

Parental age as a risk factor for isolated congenital malformations in a Polish population.

Currently available data on the relationship between the prevalence of isolated congenital malformations and parental age are inconsistent and frequently divergent. We utilised the data from the Polish Registry of Congenital Malformations (PRCM) to accurately assess the interplay between maternal and paternal age in the risk of isolated non-syndromic congenital malformations. Out of 902 452 livebirths we studied 8683 children aged 0-2 years registered in the PRCM.

Comparative study of clinical characteristics of amniotic rupture sequence with and without body wall defect: further evidence for separation.

Background: Amniotic rupture sequence (ARS) is a disruption sequence presenting with fibrous bands, possibly emerging as a result of amniotic tear in the first trimester of gestation. Our comparative study aims to assess whether there is a difference in the clinical pattern of congenital limb and internal organ anomalies between ARS with body wall defect (ARS-BWD) and ARS without BWD (ARS-L).

Methods: Among 1,706,639 births recorded between 1998 and 2006, 50 infants with a diagnosis of ARS were reported to the Polish Registry of Congenital Malformations.

[Assessment of retrocochlear hearing pathway activity in infants with central nervous system impairment occurring as an effect of perinatal asphyxia].

Introduction: The most often changes in the central nervous system (CNS) occurring as an effect of perinatal asphyxia are found to be hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in term newborns, peri- (PVH) or intraventricular hemorrhages (IVH) and periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) in preterm neonates. Chronic hypoxia is considered to affect the brainstem in infants, especially nuclei of the hearing pathway are vulnerable to low oxygen level. The aim of the study was to carry out the objective assessment of the retrocochlear hearing pathway activity using ABR in infants with CNS impairment occurring as an effect of perinatal asphyxia, imaged during trans-fontanel ultrasonography.

Effect of intrauterine infection and perinatal risk factors on serum concentrations of insulin like growth factor (IGF-I) in full-term and preterm newborns.

Objectives: IGF-I is believed to be a key factor in fetal growth dynamics It is widely known, that serious early-onset infection in the newborn is a risk factor for further developmental disturbances in a child. However, effect of congenital infection as well as an influence of infectious and non-infectious perinatal risk factors on circulating IGF-I concentrations in newborns has not been examined, yet.

Design: Thus, the aim of this study was: 1) evaluation of IGF-I venous blood serum concentration in full-term and premature infants considering their sex, occurrence of intrauterine infection and perinatal risk factors; 2) establishing the relationship between IGF-I serum concentrations and chosen anthropometric parameters values in infected and healthy newborns.

[Assessment of cochlea activity in a group of newborns with central nervous system impairment as an effect of perinatal asphyxia using click-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs)].

During adaptation of newborn to extra-uterine environment dramatic changes in functioning in the inner organs and the entire human body is observed. Complicated or premature birth as well as complicated course of a perinatal period may cause reversible or irreversible damage of various tissues, organs or systems, and, consequently, their dysfunction. The most often changes in the central nervous system (CNS) in newborns occurring as an effect of perinatal asphyxia are found to be ischemic-hypoxic encephalopathy (IHE), periventricular leucomalacia (PVL) and intraventricular hemorrhages (IVH).

[Spirometric tests in school-age children with past bronchopulmonary dysplasia].

The aim of the paper was to estimate 9 spirometric parameters in 38 children aged 8-12, among them in16 with past bronchopulmonary dysplasia and in 22 healthy ones. Mean values of VC, FEV1, FVC Ex, PEF, MEF 75, MEF 50 and MEF 25 in children with past bronchopulmonary dysplasia were significantly lower than in healthy children. In children with past bronchopulmonary dysplasia VC was decreased comparing to normal values in 94% of cases, FVC Ex and MEF 50 in 75% and FEV1 in 63% of subjects.

[Quantitative changes of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, HLA-DR+, T lymphocytes and CD25+ cells in eutrophic full-term neonates with staphylococcal septicemia].

Objective: Influence of staphylococcal septicemia on changes of share and changes of amount of CD3+ lymphocytes and their subpopulation as well as CD25+ cells in eutrophic full-term neonates.

Materials And Methods: In 52 full-term neonates, with birthweight ranged from 2900 to 4500 g, including 30 infants with staphylococcal septicemia caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis (19 cases), S. sciuri (2 cases) S.