ABSTRACT
A total of 343 pairs of maternal serum and foetal cord serum samples were assayed for thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyrotropin (TSH) levels. Foetal serum total T4 levels showed a positive correlation not only with gestational age(r=0.14) but also with maternal serum T4 levels (r=0.42). Although these correlations were not very strong, they were statistically significant. Foetuses were found to be T3 deficient for all gestational age groups in the study. Despite these deficient levels, there was still a significant positive correlation between foetal serum T3 levels and the maternal serum T3 levels (r=0.24). Foetal serum TSH levels were about three times higher than the corresponding maternal levels for all gestational age groups. High TSH levels in the face of deficient T3 levels for all gestational age groups in the study indicated that the function of the foetal hypothalamic-pituitary feedback control system of the thyroid gland has been well established even before the foetal maturity.
Subject(s)
Thyroid Hormones , MyanmarABSTRACT
Vitamin A concentrations of 53 newborns delivered at Central Women's Hospita Yangon, and their mothers were studied. The mean cord vitamin A concentration (17.19 + 7.5 ug/dl) was significantly less than mean maternal vitamin A concentration (63.58 + 37.5 ug/dl) (p < 0.0001). The mean cord vitamin A concentration of newborn to mothers with vitamin A concentration loss than 20 ug/dl was significantly less than those of newborns born to mothers with maternal vitamin A concentrations more than 20 ug/dl (12.82 + 1.8 vs 17.74 + 7.3 ug/dl) (p < 0.01). Variation in birth weight was associated with differences in maternal vitamin A concentrations; lower maternal vitamin A was seen in low birth weight babies as compared to normal birth weight babies (44.13 + 37.7 ug/dl vs 69.28 + 35.8 ug/dl). No significant correlation between cord vitamin A levels and gestational age was found. The present study demonstrates that the vitamin A status of the newborn is influenced by maternal vitamin A status.
Subject(s)
Vitamin A Deficiency , Pregnancy , Birth Weight , Gestational Age , MyanmarABSTRACT
Serum thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyrotropin (TSH) levels of 325 pairs of blood samples from the newborn infants and their mothers were determined with the aim of establishing the thyroid hormonal profile of the newborn babies and their mothers in a non-goitrous area of Myanmar. The mean +/- SEM cord serum T4, T3 and TSH levels were 117.47 +/- 1.92 nmol/l, 0.57 +/- 0.02 nmol/l and 6.41 +/- 0.84 mu/ml respectively. The corresponding maternal levels were 146.29 +/- 2.06 nmol/l, 2.33 +/- 0.04 nmol/l and 2.59 +/- 0.17 mu/ml maternal serum T4 and T3 levels were significantly higher than the corresponding cord serum values (p < 0.0001 in both cases) and maternal TSH level was significantly lower than cord level (p < 0.0001). Maternal and cord T4, T3 and TSH levels of premature infants were not significantly different from those of mature infants. Similarly maternal and cord hormonal levels of male infants were not significantly different from those of female infants.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Female , Fetal Blood/chemistry , Goiter/blood , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Premature/blood , Male , Middle Aged , Myanmar/epidemiology , Pregnancy/blood , Reference Values , Thyrotropin/blood , Thyroxine/blood , Triiodothyronine/bloodABSTRACT
In patients with chromic liver diseases, the measurement of serum alpha fetoprotein level is an invaluable laboratory investigation to assess the disease progress and to detect early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. A total of 150 sera samples were collected from normal individuals, hepatitis B surface antigen carriers, patients with hepatomagaly, fatty liver, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The sera were examined for serum alpha fetoprotein levels by radia-immunoassay technique, one of the most sensitive methods available. The results showed that the sera alpha fetoprotein levels correlate with the severity of the liver diseases as all of normal individuals, hepatitis-B surface antigen carriers, hepatomegaly and fatty liver patients showed normal levels and 5-17 percent of chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis patients were low positive. Also 73 percent of hepatocellular carcinoma patients were positive with 50 percent of them revealing high levels of alpha fetoprotein.