Macrosonic babies: Anthropometric comparison between diabetuc and non - diabetic pregnancies

The incidence of perinatal morbidity is directly related to fetal macrosomia [birth weight >/= 4000 g], but this morbidity is more common in macrosomic infants born to diabetic mothers. Aim: To measure the anthropometric parameters in two groups of full term macrosomic infants who were born from diabetic and non-diabetic pregnancies and to compare their morbidities. Method: Gestational assessment and anthropometric measurements were done on 133 consecutive macrosomic infants, out of which 72 were born to non-diabetic mothers and 61 to diabetic mothers. The morbidity of the two groups were recorded and compared. Result: Although the macrosomic neonates born to diabetic pregnancies had the same lengths and head circumference when compared to fetal macrosomia of non-diabetic mothers, the former group was significantly heavier with larger mid-shoulder and chest circumferences and greater shoulder to head and chest to head disproportion. Among macrosomic infants of diabetic pregnancies, Erb's palsy occurred in 3, sboulder dystocia in 2 and one had fracture of clavicle, whereas only one Erb's palsy was found among macrosomic babies of non-diabetic pregnancies. Although our data revealed higher morbidity in macrosomic infants of diabetic compared to non-diabetic pregnancies the number of patients in study groups were too few to draw any conclusions. This study suggests that if fetal macrosomia is suspected, especially in a diabetic pregnancy, ultrasonic measurement of anthropometric parameters could be of value to select the route of delivery and to minimize birth trauma

Zellweger syndrome: a case report

Zellweger syndrome, an autosomal recessive disorder, is generally considered as the prototype of the group of the rare peroxisomal disorders. Infants with Zellweger syndrome have a striking constellation of clinical features, which usually suggest the diagnosis. The condition has been reported in all races and from all parts of the world. Considerable progress has been made recently in the biochemical and molecular aspects of the disease as well as identifying the genetic defects involved. Here we present a case of Zellweger syndrome and discuss the pathophysiology of the disease. To our knowledge, this is the first case of Zellweger syndrome reported from United Arab Emirates

Venous sinus thrombosis due to inherited anti-thrombin lll deficiency in a neonate and review of the literature

Venous sinus thrombosis in the neonate is possibly an under recognized condition which presents most commonly with seizures The condition is idiopathic in the majority of reported cases however hypercoagulable states have to be looked for in the absence of obvious precipitating causes We report a newborn baby who had venous sinus thrombosis due to inherited antithrombin III deficiency and the relevant literature is reviewed. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of venous sinus thrombosis due to antithrombin III deficiency in the United Arab Emirates

Bacterial septicaemia in reonates-a 7 year study at an Abu Dhabi regionsl hospital

During a 7 year period 100 episodes of proven bacterial septicaemia in 90 neonates were recorded in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit [NICU] of Mafraq Hospital. Fourteen infants had positive blood cultures at less than 48 hours of age [early sepsis] and 76 after 48 hours [late sepsis]. The incidence of bacterial septicemia was 3.6/1000 live births which varied from 1.6/1000 in babies weighing > 2500gm to 115/1000 live births in infants weighing < 1500gm. The main organisms in early neonatal septicaemia were serratia, enterococci and kiebsiella which are not the most common oraganisms found in neonatal units in western countries. The prevalent organisms in late neonatal septicaemia were Pseudomonas aerogenosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus albus. The combined mortality rate was 28% which varied according to the type of organism isolated and the weight of the infants. Infants infected with Pseudomonas aerogenosa and those weighing less than 1000gm had the highest mortality. A larger study is necessary to confirm this finding

use of corticosteroids in neonatal asphyxia

60 infants with severe perinatal asphyxia, Apgar score 3 or less at one minute, were treated alternatively either with 4 doses of 0.6mg/kg of Dexamethasone at 1, 12, 24 and 36 hours of age or with no steroid. There were 30 infants in each group. Babies were similar in birth weight, gestational ages, sex, temperature, I and 5 minutes Apgar scores, maternal age, parity and caesarian sections. The patients were also comparable in number for intubation and positive chest x-ray at the time of birth and treatment with antibiotics. The mortality rate was not significantly different in either group but the rate of convulsions was increased in the study group [P > 0.l]. The convulsions started earlier and lasted significantly longer in the dexamethasone treated group [P > 0.05]

Klebsiella outbreak in newborn nursery; part I: clinical study

During a 6 month period from July 23, 1980 to February 4, 1981, 25 newborn infants developed Klebsiella infection at the Newborn Ward of Hafez Hospital, in Shiraz. All infants were studied for weight, gestational age, sex, clinical signs, Apgar score, type of delivery, invasive procedure performed prior to infection, and antibiotics used. The sensitivity for Klebsiella organism was also studied. Low birth weight [less than 2500 gm], type of delivery, and low Apgar score at first minute were among significant predisposing factors. [P = .01]. Klebsiella organisms were resistant to Ampicillin, Gentamycin, Kanamycin, Chloramphenicol and sensitive to Co-Trimax, Tetracycline and Cephalosporine. From 25 infected infants, 12 died. Ten were septic, two had meningitis and one had urinary tract infection. One of the newborns had two infections; meningitis and urinary tract infection. The epidemiological data will be presented in the first part of this study