Risk factors for congenital anal atresia / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the risk factors for the development of congenital anal atresia in neonates.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 70 neonates who were admitted to 17 hospitals in Foshan, China from January 2011 to December 2014 were enrolled as case group, and another 70 neonates who were hospitalized during the same period and had no anal atresia or other severe deformities were enrolled as control group. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the risk factors for the development of congenital anal atresia.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The univariate analysis revealed that the age of mothers, presence of oral administration of folic acid, infection during early pregnancy, and polyhydramnios, and sex of neonates showed significant differences between the case and control groups (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that infection during early pregnancy (OR=18.776) and male neonates (OR=9.304) were risk factors for congenital anal atresia, and oral administration of folic acid during early pregnancy was the protective factor (OR=0.086).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Infection during early pregnancy is the risk factor for congenital anal atresia, and male neonates are more likely to develop congenital anal atresia than female neonates. Supplementation of folic acid during early pregnancy can reduce the risk of congenital anal atresia.</p>

Effects of feeding patterns after hospital discharge on increase rates of growth indices in preterm and low-birth-weight infants within 3 months after birth / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of post-discharge formula (PDF) for preterm infants, breast milk (BM) and term infant formula (TF) on increase rates of body weight, length and head circumference in preterm and low-birth-weight infants (PLBWIs) from discharge to 3 months after birth, and to provide a reference for the choice of feeding pattern for PLBWIs.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 407 PLBWIs discharged from the newborn departments of ten hospitals in Guangzhou City and Foshan City in Guangdong Province, China were chosen for this study. According to feeding pattern, they were assigned to three groups: PDF-fed (n=258), BM-fed (n=58) and TF-fed (n=91). Their body weight, length and head circumference were measured at 3 months after birth, and the increase rates of growth indices relative to baseline values (at birth) were calculated and compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At 3 months after birth, the PDF-fed group had significantly greater body weight, length and head circumference than the BM-fed and TF-fed groups (P<0.05). The increase rates of body weight and length were significantly higher in the PDF-fed group than in the BM-fed and TF-fed groups (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Compared with those fed with BM and TF after discharge, the PDF-fed PLBWIs have higher increase rates of body weight and length and show greater body weight and length at 3 months after birth. However, further study is needed to investigate the long-term effects.</p>

Relationship between plasma motilin level and feeding intolerance in preterm infants / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe changes in plasma motilin (MOT) level among preterm infants after birth, to investigate the relationship between plasma motilin level and feeding intolerance (FI), and to clarify the possible risk factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 112 preterm infants were divided into feeding tolerance (FT) group (n=59) and FI group (n=53). Their plasma MOT levels were measured by radioimmunoassay on days 1, 4, 7 and 14 of life. The clinical data of FI group were collected and subjected to multivariate logistic regression analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the FT group, the FI group showed significantly lower plasma MOT levels on days 1, 4, 7 and 14 of life (P<0.05), and there was a positive correlation between plasma MOT level and gestational age, age in days, and volume of enteral feeding in the FI group. The lower the gestational age, the longer the FI duration. There was a negative correlation between the plasma MOT level on day 1 of life and the FI duration (r=-0.913, P<0.001). Gestational age and prenatal use of glucocorticoid were protective factors for FI, while fetal distress, placental abnormality and perinatal infection were risk factors for FI.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Change in plasma MOT level may be closely related to the development of FI in preterm infants. Early monitoring of plasma MOT level may be useful for predicting the occurrence of FI.</p>

Relationship between plasma levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide and feeding intolerance in preterm infants / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the changes of plasma vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) levels and the relationship of plasma VIP levels with feeding intolerance (FI) in preterm infants.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Plasma VIP concentrations were measured using radioimmunoassay in 53 preterm infants with FI 1, 4, 7 and 14 days after birth. Fifty-nine preterm infants without FI served as the control group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The fasting plasma concentrations of VIP in the FI group 1, 4 and 7 days after birth (129 ± 46, 144 ± 32 and 166 ± 31 pg/mL respectively) were significantly lower than those in the control group (195 ± 63, 197 ± 31 and 205 ± 34 pg/mL respectively) (P<0.05). The increased plasma VIP concentrations were associated with the increased gestational age, age in days and enteral feeding volume in the FI group. By 14 days, the plasma concentrations of VIP in the FI group (198 ± 41 pg/mL) were similar to those in the control group (202 ± 48 pg/mL) (P>0.05). The younger the infant's gestational age, the more prolonged the FI. Plasma levels of VIP on day 1 of life in the FI group were negatively correlated with the duration of FI (r=-0.799, P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Plasma levels of VIP might be related to the development of FI in preterm infants and might serve as a predictor of FI.</p>