Bone turnover markers and bone mineral status in protein-energy malnourished infants

This study aimed to evaluate bone turnover in malnourished infants and to assess their bone mineral status by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry [DXA]. We studied 18 marasmic patients aged 10.55 +/- 7.01 mo [mean +/- SD], 5 kwashiorkor patients aged 18 +/- 6 mo in addition to 7 healthy infants with matched age and sex. For all subjects, serum levels of osteocalcin, parathormone and bone specific alkaline phosphatase were assessed by Elisa and 25 [OH] D3 level by RIA. Urinary excretion of deoxypyridinoline was assessed by Elisa and expressed as nmol/mmol creatinine. Bone mineral content [BMC] and bone mineral density [BMD] were measured by DXA. Osteocalcin was significantly lower in marasmus and kwashiorkor group than control [P=0.02, 0.002]. Marasmus group had a significantly higher osteocalcin level than kwashiorkor [P=0.037]. Compared with control, deoxypyridinoline was significantly lower in marasmus than control [P=0.014] but was insignificantly lower in kwashiorkor with no significant difference between both patient groups. Alkaline phosphatase and parathormone were significantly lower in marasmus than control but not in kwashiorkor. There were no significant differences between the studied groups regarding 25[OH] D3. Bone mineral content was significantly lower in all of the studied regions of both patient groups than control and kwashiorkor patients had a significantly decreased arm and total BMC than marasmus [P=0.07, 0.02 respectively]. Only leg BMD was significantly lower in malnourished patients. There was no significant correlation between biochemical markers and total BMC or BMD. Protein-energy malnourished infants have decreased bone turnover which was more pronounced in marasmus with decreased BMC and non generalized decrease in BMD

Fetal and maternal vitamin E content in correlation with blood lipids

The present study was designed to investigate the correlation between plasma Vitamin E and total lipids, cholesterol and triglycerides in maternal and umbilical cord blood. Levels of Vitamin E total lipids, cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly higher in maternal plasma[P > 0.001] vitamin E/total lipids ratio in cord blood was higher than that of maternal blood. Correlation of vitamin E levels with cholesterol and triglycerids levels in maternal group and cord blood group revealed no significant correlation the only significant correlation was between vitamin E levels with total lipids level in cord blood group where r = 0.673 and [p > 0.001] but no significant correlation in maternal blood. Since Vitamin E and lipids share a common lipoprotein carrier proteins

Incidence of HDNB and fetomaternal blood group incompatibility in Mansoura University Hospitals

The study included 731 full term babies aged 1-6 days, presented with hyperbilirubinaemia [S.bilirubin > 12 mg/dl]in the period from 1985 to 1989. The babies and their mothers were subjected to l]full history taking and thorough clinical examination 2] determination of S. bilirubin, Hb% and reticulocyte count in infants3] blood group typing ABO, Rho and antibody screening for mothers and babies. In some instances they were typed for other blood group systems. 4] IgG antibodies [anti-A and anti-B] was done in ABO incompatible pregnancies. It was found that out of the 731 cases with hyperbilirubinaemia, 73 babies [9.99%] had HDNB. In the later group, anti-D was detected in 24 infants[32.88%], anti-S and anti-C in 4 cases [5.48%], anti-C in 8 cases 10.96%], ABO incompatibility in 34 cases [46.58%] and each of anti Fya, anti-JKa, and anti-K in one case [1.37%]. The results of the work showed that HDNB due to foetomaternal blood group incompatibility still a major problem which needs concern. Abbreviation [Fya: Duffy a; JKa: kidd a; K:Kell; D.C: direct coombs, E.T: exchange transfusion]