Blood eosinophil levels in newborns with severe indirect hyperbilirubinemia treated with phototherapy

Newborns who suffer from jaundice and/or receive phototherapy [PT] are at a higher risk of developing asthma. In this study we aimed to investigate the relationship between bilirubin and peripheral eosinophil counts in newborns with severe hyperbilirubinemia needing PT. In this study, a retrospective analysis was performed on 306 newborns with severe hyperbilirubinemia with gestational age >/=35 weeks [Group 1] and the control group consisted of 295 age and gender-matched newborns [Group 2]. Total serum bilirubin, hemoglobin, albumin, leucocyte and eosinophil counts before and after PT were recorded from medical charts. All the patients in Group 1 received phototherapy and 77 [25.2%] of them needed exchange transfusion [ET]. Before receiving PT, the patients in Group 1 had lower levels of Hb and higher levels of total serum bilirubin and lymphocytes than those in Group 2 although there was no statistically significant difference with regard to peripheral eosinophil counts. Eosinophils were detected to be numerically lower in Group 1. Higher bilirubin subgroups had also lower eosinophil counts. The patients in Group 1 had lower levels of Hb, leucocyte, albumin and higher levels of eosinophil following PT. Peripheral eosinophil count may be affected by bilirubin levels and/or phototherapy. There is a need for further clinical research based on different models

Management of postoperative pulmonary hypertension by inhaled nitric oxide in a newborn with congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Postero-lateral congenital diaphragmatic hernia [CDH] is a life threatening anomaly characterized by diaphragmatic defect and intrathoracic herniation of abdominal viscera. In patients with CDH, the lungs are hypoplastic and persistent pulmonary hypertension develops in most cases. Although, inhaled nitric oxide [iNO] results in a reduction in pulmonary hypertension with improvement in oxygenation, its benefit in the patients with CDH remains controversial. In this report, the authors present successful management of postoperative pulmonary hypertension by iNO in a newborn with CDH

effects of surfactant on oxygenation in term infants with respiratory failure

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of exogenous surfactant on respiratory indices in term infants with respiratory failure. Consecutive 18 mechanically ventilated term infants, who received a single dose of exogenous surfactant were retrospectively included into the study. The respiratory outcome of surfactant rescue therapy was evaluated by comparing respiratory indices before and six hours after surfactant administration. Median oxygenation index [OI], mean alveolar pressure [MAP] and fraction of inspired oxygen [FiO[2]] values were significantly decreased [P<0.001]; median arterial oxygen partial pressure [PaO[2]], arterial oxygen saturation [SaO[2]] and PaO[2]/FiO[2] values were significantly increased six hours after surfactant treatment [P<0.001]. Rescue therapy with surfactant was found to be effective in the improvement of early respiratory indices in term infants with respiratory failure