Blood eosinophil levels in newborns with severe indirect hyperbilirubinemia treated with phototherapy

Newborns who suffer from jaundice and/or receive phototherapy [PT] are at a higher risk of developing asthma. In this study we aimed to investigate the relationship between bilirubin and peripheral eosinophil counts in newborns with severe hyperbilirubinemia needing PT. In this study, a retrospective analysis was performed on 306 newborns with severe hyperbilirubinemia with gestational age >/=35 weeks [Group 1] and the control group consisted of 295 age and gender-matched newborns [Group 2]. Total serum bilirubin, hemoglobin, albumin, leucocyte and eosinophil counts before and after PT were recorded from medical charts. All the patients in Group 1 received phototherapy and 77 [25.2%] of them needed exchange transfusion [ET]. Before receiving PT, the patients in Group 1 had lower levels of Hb and higher levels of total serum bilirubin and lymphocytes than those in Group 2 although there was no statistically significant difference with regard to peripheral eosinophil counts. Eosinophils were detected to be numerically lower in Group 1. Higher bilirubin subgroups had also lower eosinophil counts. The patients in Group 1 had lower levels of Hb, leucocyte, albumin and higher levels of eosinophil following PT. Peripheral eosinophil count may be affected by bilirubin levels and/or phototherapy. There is a need for further clinical research based on different models

Management of postoperative pulmonary hypertension by inhaled nitric oxide in a newborn with congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Postero-lateral congenital diaphragmatic hernia [CDH] is a life threatening anomaly characterized by diaphragmatic defect and intrathoracic herniation of abdominal viscera. In patients with CDH, the lungs are hypoplastic and persistent pulmonary hypertension develops in most cases. Although, inhaled nitric oxide [iNO] results in a reduction in pulmonary hypertension with improvement in oxygenation, its benefit in the patients with CDH remains controversial. In this report, the authors present successful management of postoperative pulmonary hypertension by iNO in a newborn with CDH

Insulin sensitivity obtained from the oral glucose tolerance test and its relationship with birth weight

Glucose intolerance and insulin sensitivity in preadolescent children might predict the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus in adult life in small for gestational age [SGA] children. We aimed to investigate whether reduced birthweight is related to low insulin sensitivity in preadolescence. Twenty-five SGA children and 29 appropriate for gestational age children [AGA] children born between 1993 and 1994 were evaluated for insulin sensitivity in preadolescence. At the beginning of the study, body mass index [BMI] was calculated and an oral glucose tolerance test [OGTT] was performed. Blood samples to measure glucose and insulin were taken every 30 minutes during OGTT. Homeostasis of model assessment-insulin resistance [HOMA-IR] and composite index [Cl] values were measured to assess insulin sensitivity. On the OGTT, 120-minute glucose and insulin levels were higher in SGA than AGA children [P=0.02 and P=0.001, respectively]. Although there was no difference between HOMA-IR values, the mean Cl value was lower in SGA than AGA children [P=0.001]. There was an inverse correlation between birthweight and 120-minute glucose concentrations [r=-0.30, P=0.02]. This correlation was stronger between birthweight and 120-minute insulin concentrations [r=-0.50, P=0.001] BMI was positively correlated with 120-minute insulin [r=0.50, P=0.001] There was no relationship between HOMA-IR values and birth size, but the Cl index was positively correlated with birthweight [r=0.40, P=0.002]. Birthweight may be a predictive factor for insulin sensitivity and Cl is more reliable than HOMA-IR to assess this sensitivity in preadolescence