Effect of Phenobarbital on nitric oxide level in term newborn infants with perinatal asphyxia

Objectives: Perinatal asphyxia [PA] is very significant in perinatal medicine due to the involvement of the central nervous system. This study was conducted to investigate the biochemical, clinical, and paraclinical changes associated with Phenobarbital administration in neonates with PA

Methods: In this prospective, case-control study, 30 neonates with PA in two groups of 15 each [case and control] were investigated. The case group received 20 mg/kg intravenous phenobarbital within six hours of birth, and the control group did not receive phenobarbital. Serum concentrations of nitric oxide [NO] were measured at enrollment and one week after birth in the two groups. Clinical, electroencephalography, and magnetic resonance imaging findings of the two groups were compared

Results: At enrollment, the two groups did not differ in clinical severity, seizure incidence, or NO concentration. After one week, NO concentration was significantly lower in the case group [p < 0.050], but there was no significant difference in other variables between the two groups

Conclusions: Early administration of phenobarbital in term neonates with PA could protect them against encephalopathy

A comparison of the efficacy of amoxicillin and nasal irrigation in treatment of acute sinusitis in children / 소아과

PURPOSE: The efficacy of antibiotic therapy for acute sinusitis is controversial. This study aimed to compare the efficacies of amoxicillin with nasal irrigation and nasal irrigation alone for acute sinusitis in children. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, controlled study included 80 children aged 4-15 years with a clinical presentation of acute sinusitis. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either amoxicillin (80 mg/kg/day) in 3 divided doses orally for 14 days with saline nasal irrigation (for 5 days) and 0.25% phenylephrine (for 2 days) or the same treatment without amoxicillin. Clinical improvements in their initial symptoms were assessed on days 3, 14, 21, and 28. RESULTS: On day 3, patients in the amoxicillin with nasal irrigation group showed significant clinical improvement (P=0.001), but there was no significant difference in the degree of improvement between the amoxicillin with nasal irrigation and nasal irrigation alone groups during follow-up (P>0.05). In addition, no significant differences were seen in age, sex, and degree of improvement between groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: High-dose amoxicillin with saline nasal irrigation relieved acute sinusitis symptoms faster and more often than saline nasal irrigation alone. However, antibiotic treatment for acute sinusitis confers only a small therapeutic benefit over nasal irrigation.

Selenium and leptin levels in febrile seizure: a case-control study in children / 소아과

PURPOSE: Febrile seizures (FS) are seizures that occur between the age of 6 and 60 months, but its pathophysiology still is not fully understood. There is limited information about the correlation between levels of selenium and leptin with FS. This study aimed to determine the relationship between serum levels of selenium and leptin in children with FS. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted in a University Hospital in Shahrekord, Iran, in 2011. The serum levels of selenium and leptin of 25 children with simple febrile seizure (case group) were compared with 25 febrile children without seizure (control group) in acute phase and after three months. The levels of serum selenium and leptin were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method, respectively. RESULTS: In acute phase, the mean serum level of selenium in case and control groups were 95.88+/-42.55 and 113.25+/-54.43 microg/dL, respectively, and difference was not significant (P=0.415), but after three months, this level had a significant increase in both groups (P<0.001). In acute phase, the mean serum leptin level in case and control groups were 0.94+/-0.5 and 0.98+/-0.84 ng/mL, respectively, but difference was not significant (P=0.405). After three months, serum leptin level had no significant change in both groups (P=0.882). CONCLUSION: These observations suggest that serum levels of selenium and leptin have not specific relation with FS but overllay is lower, however, further study is recommended. Also selenium level in stress and acute phase was significantly lower than recovery phase.

effect of Ramadan fasting on biochemical substances relating to the renal and bone function of fasting pregnant women, 2011-2012

The effect of fluid and food restrictions on biochemical substances relating to the renal and bone function of pregnant women is not well defined. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of fluid and food restriction on the following substances in pregnant fasting women during Ramadan: blood urea nitrogen [BUN], creatinine [Cr], calcium [Ca], phosphorus [P], and alkaline phosphates [ALP]. Thirty fasting pregnant women voluntarily participated in this prospective descriptive study. The serum levels of BUN, Cr, P, and ALP were measured at the baseline, and on the 7th, 14th, and 28th days of Ramadan; the measurements were also performed 2 weeks after this month. The statistical significance was defined as P<0.05 and the analyses were performed using SPSS version 11.5. As to the results of the present study, the weight and body mass index [BMI] of women didn't change during the experiment. BUN and Cr increased significantly by the 2nd week of Ramadan; however, no differences were observed between BUN and Cr values at the end of Ramadan and two weeks after it [P>0.05]; also, Cr didn't change during Ramadan and 2 weeks after it [P>0.05]. Moreover, no differences in P and ALP levels were noticed between the end of Ramadan and two weeks after it [P>0.05]. According to this study, there is no sufficient evidence regarding the adverse effects of Ramadan fasting on biochemical substances relating to the renal and bone function of pregnant fasting women

Impact of maternal ramadan fasting on growth parameters in exclusively breast-fed infants

There are many advantages of breast milk for infants. The impact of Ramadan fasting of breast-feeding mothers on their exclusively breast-fed infants' growth is still not clear. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of maternal Ramadan fasting on growth parameters of exclusively breast-fed infants. This cohort study was conducted during Ramadan and five months after Ramadan on 116 healthy, exclusively breast-fed infants aged 15 days to 6 months. 36 infants, whose mothers fasted throughout Ramadan [case group] and 80 infants, whose mothers did not fast [control group], were enrolled in the study. All infants underwent periodic physical examinations, twice in Ramadan, 3 times in the second month and twice monthly in the next 4 months. The data analyses were done using a repeated measure analysis of variance. Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05. Analyses were performed using SPSS statistical package and repeated measures ANOVA. All growth parameters increased during the study period [P< 0.05], rate of increase being the same for both groups [P>0.05]. There is obvious increasing trend for all growth parameters; this trend depends on age and is almost similar for both groups. Ramadan fasting by breast-feeding mothers did not adversely affect the growth parameters of exclusively breast-fed infants in short-term