Impact of maternal overweight and obesity on perinatal outcomes

Maternal obesity adversely affects perinatal outcome through increasing rates of hypertensive disease during pregnancy, diabetes, cesarean section and fetal macrosomia. To investigate the prevalence of prepregnancy over weight and obesity and their impact on pregnancy and perinatal outcomes in Jordan. A prospective study comparing prepregnancy BMI categories with pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. University teaching hospital. Singleton term babies [>37 weeks] born in the year 2009. A total of 2129 newborns were categorized according to their mothers self reported body mass index [BMI] into three groups [normal, over weight and obese]. Multivariate regression analysis was performed. The main outcomes were pregnancy induced hypertension, gestational diabetes, mode of delivery, birthweight, neonatal admission and death. A total 2129 newborns were identified. The incidence of overweight and obese mothers was 33.6% and 12.5%, respectively. In comparison to mothers with normal BMI, overweight and obese mothers were older and more likely to be multiparious. Their pregnancy was at a significantly higher risk for pregnancy-induced hypertension, gestational diabetes, Cesarean delivery, induction of labor, giving birth to a macrocosmic baby and neonatal admission. Obese women were less likely to have instrumental delivery. Babies born to overweight and obese mothers were not at a higher risk of having other short adverse perinatal outcomes. Increasing prepregnancy BMI was associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes. Effective Interventional programs are important implications for health policy for counseling mothers during antenatal, postnatal and primary health care visit

Effects of perinatal risk factors on common neonatal respiratory morbidities beyond 36 weeks of gestation

To assess the incidence of respiratory morbidity [RM] in all single live neonates born >36 weeks of gestation, and the effects of perinatal characteristics on these morbidities. This is a prospective hospital based study covering a 12-month period. The study took place at the Department of Pediatrics, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan, between January and December 2009. The effects of different perinatal characteristics on RM including transient tachypnea of the newborn [TTN] and respiratory distress syndrome [RDS] were analyzed. A total of 2282 newborns were included. One thousand two hundred and seventy-six [55.9%] of the newborns were delivered by vaginal delivery and 1,006 [44%] by cesarean section [CS] [24.5% by emergency CS and 19.5% by elective CS]. Respiratory morbidity was reported in 3.7%. The incidence of TTN was 2.9% and RDS was 0.7%. Elective CS was found to be a risk factor for RM development when the gestational age was <39 weeks. Maternal hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and the absence of labor were independent risk factors for RM. The emergency CS and large for gestational age babies were risk factors for TTN, while male gender and GA <37[o+6] weeks were risk factor for RDS. The collaborative obstetric and neonatology responsibility helps to identify the risk factors for adverse respiratory outcome when considering the time and mode of delivery. The pregnant mother should be informed regarding this possibility if delivery by elective CS is performed before the 39[o+6] weeks of gestation

Nephrocalcinosis in prematures

Nephrocalcinosis is increased renal calcium content determined biochemically and confirmed radiologically. Serial follow up [biochemical and renal US] for all subjects included in this study [23 preterm and 69 control] was done including parents for those with positive family history of renal stones. Two cases out of 23 preterm developed nephrocalcinosis [8.7%]. Positive FH of renal stones was found among three out of the 23 preterm, two of them showed nephrocalcinosis by US. However, four out of 69 control term infants had positive FH of nephrolithiasis and none of them developed nephrocalcinosis. It was concluded that nephrocalcinosis developed with LBW preterm is significantly associated with positive FH of urolithiasis rather than other risk factors [TPN, Furosemide]. Such preterms, especially VLBW, should thoroughly followed with kidney functions, serial renal US and cautiously using furosemide for long period early in life and proper management of participants with renal stones to avoid premature deliveries and its complications

relation of mid-arm and chest circumferences to birth weight

Birth weight is a reliable and important indicator of the immediate and the later outcome of health care. It may be a problem in rural areas where home deliveries are prevalent and weight records are usually lacking. The aim of this work is to find out the correlation of mid-arm and chest circumferences [MAC and CC] to birth weight, which is a very simple and easy measurement. The results of 321 neonates, 180 term [> 37 ws] and 141 pre-term, [< 37 ws] showed a significant correlation between birth weight and MAC [0.8710] and with CC [0.8475] with no sex difference

Effect of protein sources on disease resistance factors and growth performance of Nile Tilapia [Oreochromis niloticus]

Four groups of Nile tilapia [oreochromis niloticus] each contain 30 fish were fed four approximately isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets formulated with different protein sources. The growth performance were studied during the period of 120 days. After this time, 10 fishes from each group were immunized with Aeromonas hydrophila bacterin and the remainder fish [20 fish] were exposed to artificial infection with A. hidrophila by immersion method. The antibody titres were detected weekly by agglutination test while the mortalities percent were recorded throughout 15 days post challenge. The growth performance including weight gain [WG] percent, specific growth rate [SGR], food conversion ratio [FCR], protein efficiency ratio [PER] and protein retention were higher in fish fed the diet containing fish meal than bone and meat meal, cottonseed meal and sunflower meal. There was a significant different [P < 0.05] between fish meal diet and all experimental diets in most studied criteria. Fish fed diets containing protein of animal sources [fish meal and meat and bone meal] responded to immunization with production of specific antibodies more than the fish fed diets containing protein of plant sources [cottonseed meal and sunflower meal]. The mortalities percent resulting from artificial infection with A. hydrophila were 20, 25, 35 and 35 in groups fed diets containing fish meal, bone and meat meal, and sunflower meal respectively

Studies on Nile tilapia [Oreochromis niloticus] male production and their susceptibility to bacterial and fungal infections

Nile tilapia [0. niloticus] male production was established by feeding of 17 alpha methyltestosterone at various levels for different durations. Four months from hatching, the fish were sexed by dissection. The fish fed hormonal treated and untreated diets were exposed monthly, from hatching till 120 days of age, to artificial infection with Flexibacter columnaris and Saprolegnia diclin. All male production [100% male] was obtained from the group fed diet containing 30 micro g 17 alpha methyltes-tosterone/g diet for 21 days, while the male percentage in groups fed diets containing 45 and 15 micro g of hormone/g diet for 14 and 42 days were 68 and 56 respectively. The male percent in the control group was 52%. The mortality ratio of artificial infection with F. columnaris and S.diclina in groups fed the hormonal treated and untreated diets were directly proportional with the male percent in each group. Since, the mortalities of F. columnaris and S. diclina infection in the group of all male production at 120 days of age were 40 and 42% respectively, followed by the mortalities in the group of 68% male which were 36 and 43% respectively. The mortality ratio in the control group [52% male] were 30 and 28% for the same organisms respectively and at the same time

T lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood of patients with Alopecia areata

Twenty patients [15 males and 5 females] suffering from alopecia areata in different sites were examined and counts of total T-cell, T- helper and T-suppressor cells were determined by using monoclonal antibodies [OKT3, OKT4 and OKT8, respectively]. Results showed that there is a decrease of total T-cell in alopecia areata patients as compared with control subjects which was explained by several factors one of which is suppressed cell mediated immunity. The count of T-helper cells was nonsignificant, while T-suppressor cell count was significant lower than control subjects and T-helper/T- suppressor ratio was significantly increased supporting the hypothesis of autoimmune etiology

Fixed drug eruption clinical and histopathological study

Sixty cases [50 males and 10 females] affected with fixed drug eruption attending the out patient clinic of dermatology and venereology department of the faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University were examined.Their ages ranged from 21 years to 58 years. Sulphonomides were found to be the commonest drug causing fixed drug eruption [33.33%]. Antibiotics including Tetracycline and ampicillin were next in frequency [23.33%]. Different histopathological changes were encountered. Hydropic degeneration resulting in pigmentary incontinence was the commonest finding [83.33%]. Other findings were in the form of epidermal cell necrosis, oedema of epidermis and upper dermis, dermal cellular infiltration and picture stimulating vasculitis

outbreak of redmouth disease among cultured fresh water fishes in Ismailia governorate

A severe outreak of redmouth disease in a fish farm located at Ismailia governorate involved 30% and 40% mortality rates in both Oreochromis niloticus and Cyprinus carpio fishes. A total of 30 clinically diseased fishes were examined for the presence of the major causative pathogen. Aeromonas hydrophila was recoverted from all the examined cases. Intraperintoneal inoculation of A. hydrophila was carried out in 40 apparently healthy fish of both spieces and re-isolation of the pathogen was done after the clinical signs postmortem lesion were observed. Treatment of the diseased fish was carried out after using the disc diffusion technique with oxytetracycline which gave good results