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Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics and genetic etiology of infants with D-bifunctional protein deficiency (DBPD).Methods:This study involved two DBPD newborns who were hospitalized in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in August 2020 and November 2020. Clinical data including manifestations, radiographic findings and genetic testing results were retrospectively analyzed. Relevant articles up to November 2022 were retrieved from various databases including CNKI, Wanfang, CQVIP, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man and PubMed using the terms of "D-bifunctional protein deficiency" and " HSD17B4" in both Chinese and English. Clinical data of the cases diagnosed with DBPD by genetic testing within two years of age were collected. Clinical features and genetic etiology of the children with DBPD were summarized by descriptive statistical analysis. Results:Both neonates in this report presented with dyspnea, hypotonia, intractable epilepsy, poor response, absence of primitive reflexes, and craniofacial malformation. Whole-exome sequencing revealed that patient 1 carried heterozygous variations of c.972+1G>T and c.727T>A (p.W243R) in the HSD17B4 gene, which were inherited from his father and mother, respectively. A homozygous variation of c.1333+4A>G in the HSD17B4 gene was identified in patient 2. All these mutations were pathogenic. Thirteen papers (12 in English and one in Chinese) involving 19 patients from 16 pedigrees were retrieved. Altogether 21 patients (eight males and 13 females) were included, and among them, four from two pedigrees were born to consanguineous parents. There were 21 patients with hypotonia, 20 with epileptic seizures (17 presenting with epileptic seizures within 5 d after birth) and 12 with craniofacial deformities including high forehead, long philtrum and high palatine arches. Genetic tests showed that 13 patients carried compound heterozygous variations in the HSD17B4 gene and eight patients had homozygous variations. Twenty-six variations in the HSD17B4 gene were detected, including 16 missense mutations, seven splicing mutations, two nonsense mutations and one frameshift mutation. Conclusion:DBPD should be considered and genetic tests should be given when newborns have dystonia and intractable epilepsy complicated by appearance deformity.
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We reported the clinical data of a neonate admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital (Yuying Children's Hospital) of Wenzhou Medical University in November 2021 with autosomal recessive complete signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 ( STAT1) deficiency identified by whole exome sequencing. The baby boy received bacillus of calmette-guerin (BCG) vaccine 2 d after birth and presented with persistent high fever, increased white blood cell count and increased level of C-reactive protein (CRP) on 21 d after birth. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) was detected in both blood and bone marrow specimens. The patient improved after comprehensive treatment with antiviral agents, antibiotics and intravenous gammaglobulin. Oral anti-viral drugs were prescribed on discharge. However, the baby was rehospitalized due to a fever at 55 days. HCMV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex were detected in blood samples. The infant was transferred to the Children's Hospital of Fudan University due to persistent high fever even after active management and died after treatment withdrawal at 69 d after birth because of worsening infections and multiple organ failure. A homozygous mutation in the STAT1 gene was detected [c.1011_1012del, NM_007315: exon11: c.1011_1012del (p.V339Pfs*18)] and the child was diagnosed as autosomal recessive complete STAT1 deficiency. We concluded that the clinical manifestations of autosomal recessive complete STAT1 deficiency are bacterial infections caused by lethal low-pathogenic mycobacteria and life-threatening virus infections. Whole exome sequencing is of great value for early diagnosis and timely treatment. The prognosis of this disease is very poor, but the condition of the patients might be improved in a short period with early anti-tuberculosis and anti-viral treatment.
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Objective:To explore the relationship between endotracheal tube-bacterial biofilm (ETT-BF) in mechanically ventilated neonates and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).Methods:A total of 30 mechanically ventilated neonates whose mechanical ventilation time were ≥48 h in the Department of Neonatology in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from January 2019 to January 2020 were included.According to the indwelling time of endotracheal tube, all cases were divided into three groups including group A(two to six days), group B(seven to 14 days) and group C (over 14 days). The morphological results of ETT-BF were scanned by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The incidence of VAP, the positive rates of strains isolated from endotracheal tube surface and lower respiratory tract secretion, the detection of strains and drug resistance were analyzed. Chi-squared test were used for statistical analysis.Results:The results of SEM showed that sheet matrix could be observed on the surface of the inner cavity of endotracheal tube in three days of tracheal catheter retention, and cocci adhered to it in four days. With prolonged indwelling time of endotracheal tube, the structure of bacterial biofilm (BF) had improved.The positive rate of strains isolated from the secretion of lower respiratory tract in 30 neonates was 23.3%(7/30) and all of them were Gram-negative bacteria. There was no patient developed VAP in group A, while there were two patients with VAP in group B, and five patients with VAP in group C. The incidences of VAP in the three groups were statistically significant ( χ2=10.82, P=0.004). There was no significant difference in the positive rate of strains isolated from the surface of endotracheal tube under different indwelling time in 30 cases ( χ2=1.03, P=0.598). Among of 13 neonates in group A, there were seven strains isolated from ETT-BF, mainly Gram-positive bacteria which turned out to be mainly Gram-negative bacteria with the prolongation of endotracheal tube indwelling time. Of the seven VAP cases, strains isolated from the lower respiratory tract secretion were consistent with the strains isolated from the surface of the corresponding endotracheal tube in five cases, which were Serratia liquefaciens, Klebsiella acidogenes, Serratia marcescens, Flavobacterium meningosepticum and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and the drug resistance was consistent. Conclusions:The colonization bacteria of early ETT-BF may come from the upper respiratory tract, with less migration which rarely causes VAP. With the prolongation of endotracheal tube indwelling time, the incidence of VAP in neonates increases. The same pathogen can be found in the ETT-BF and lower respiratory tract secretion. The source of pathogen needs further study.
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Objective To investigate the changes of protein and energy intakes and the z-score of weight for age in appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and small for gestational age (SGA) preterm infants with gestational age less than 34 weeks. Methods The data from 314 hospitalized premature infants ( 268 cases of AGA and 46 cases of SGA) during January 2012 to December 2014 were retrospectively collected. The intakes of protein and energy and the changes of weight within 2 weeks after birth were compared. Results Compared with AGA group, the hospital stays, durations of parenteral and enteral nutrition and total enteral nutrition, and time to achieve full dose feeding were signiifcantly longer in SGA group (P?