Safety and efficacy of caffeine use started at different time in preterm infants: a multicenter study in Jiangsu Province, China / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the efficacy and safety of caffeine used in the early (≤72 hours after birth) and late (>72 hours after birth) stage in preterm infants with a gestational age of ≤31 weeks.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed for 640 preterm infants (with a gestational age of ≤31 weeks) who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of eight hospitals in Jiangsu Province, China. Of the 640 preterm infants, 510 were given caffeine in the early stage (≤72 hours after birth; early use group) and 130 were given caffeine in the late stage (>72 hours after birth; late use group). The clinical data were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#There were no significant differences in birth weight, Apgar score, sex, gestational age, and age on admission between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the late use group, the early use group had a significantly younger age at the beginning and withdrawal of caffeine treatment (P0.05). Compared with the late use group, the early use group had significantly lower incidence rate of apnea (P0.05). However, significant differences were found in the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and the rate of home oxygen therapy, but there was no significant difference in the mortality rate between the two groups (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Early use of caffeine can shorten the duration of caffeine treatment, oxygen supply time, and length of hospital stay, with little adverse effect, in preterm infants with a gestational age of ≤31 weeks.

Effects of maternal deficiency of folic acid during pregnancy on pulmonary development and SP-A expression in newborn rats / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study examined the effects of maternal deficiency of folic acid during pregnancy on pulmonary development and protein A (SP-A) expression in newborn rats in order to explore the possible mechanism of lung developmental disorders.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-six adult Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly assigned into two groups: control and study (n=18). The study and the control groups were fed with fodder containing folic acid or not respectively. Two weeks later, the female rats in the two groups copulated with normal male rats. Newborn rats were sacrificed at 1, 7 and 14 days after birth (8 pups at each time point). Lung sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histological examination. SP-A expression of protein and mRNA were determined by immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative RT-PCR, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The newborn rats from the study group showed damaged lung tissue structures. The mean optical density of type II cells with positive expression of SP-A decreased significantly from 1 to 14 days in newborn rats of the study group compared with the control newborn rats (P<0.05). The real-time quantitative RT-PCR showed that the expression of lung SP-A mRNA also decreased significantly from 1 to 14 days in newborn rats of the study group compared with control newborn rats (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Maternal deficiency of folic acid during pregnancy can decrease the expression of SP-A in lung tissues of newborn rats, which might lead to the disorder of lung development maturation.</p>

Expression of mRNA of vascular endothelial growth factor in a rat model of hyperoxia-induced retinopathy / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine the expression of mRNA of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a rat model of hyperoxia-induced retinopathy and to investigate the role of VEGF in the process of neovascularization in retinopathy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred fifty one-day-old neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into hyperoxia-induced retinopathy and normal control groups. The rats in the retinopathy group were exposed to (80 +/- 2)% oxygen for 7 days and then replaced by room air. The rats in the control group were exposed to room air all the time of the experiment. The morphologic changes of retinal vessels were estimated by observing the vascular pattern in adenosine diphosphate ase (ADPase) stained retina flat mounts. The newborn vessels were quantified by haematoxylin and eosin staining. Reversal transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the VEGF mRNA expression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the retinopathy group at 7 days of age, most of central radial vessels became constricted and blocked, and central perfusion decreased obviously. After switching to room air exposure for 7 days (14 days of age), noticeable retinal neovascularization appeared. The expression of VEGF mRNA in the retinopathy group at 7 days of hyperoxia exposure was noticeably lower than in the control group, and increased gradually after switching to room air exposure. At 9 and 14 days of age, the expression of VEGF mRNA in the retinopathy group was noticeably higher than in the control group. The expression of retinal VEGF mRNA in the retinopathy group increased before neovascularization occurred, and decreased with regression of new vessels.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Hyperoxia exposure may decrease the transcription of VEGF mRNA and the growth of retinal blood vessels. The relative hypoxia after hyperxia withdrawal can up-regulate the transcription of VEGF mRNA, resulting in a significant retinal neovascularization. The abnormal expression of VEGF in the retina may play an important role in the development of neovascularization in retinopathy.</p>

Expression of Brain-Derived Erythropoietin in Hippocampal CA1 Region after Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Damage in Neonatal Rat / 实用儿科临床杂志

0.1),and there were significant differences in the other groups[F(H)=33.57,F(I)=133.6,F(HI)=69.75 Pa

Study on effect of radix astragali on injury of cerebral cortex in neonatal rats after hypoxia/ischemia brain damage / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the mechanism of injury of cortical nerve cell in the newborn with hypoxia/ischemia brain damage (HIBD), and the neuroprotective effect of Radix Astragali (RA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Neonatal HIBD model rats were established and divided into the sham group, the model group and the RA group. Brain of rats obtained at different time points after HIBD to conduct histopathological examination, neuron death rate count, as well as determination of caspase-3 (cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-3) protein mRNA expression in cerebral cortex by immunohistochemistry, semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the model group, caspase-3 mRNA and protein showed an increase at 6 hrs, reached the peak at 24 hrs, and decreased at 48 hrs after HIBD, on the 5th and 7th day restored to baseline level. After being treated by RA, the neuron death rate of ligated side was obviously reduced, caspase-3 mRNA and protein expression peak value decreased by 45% (mRNA) and 40% - 43% (protein).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>RA shows markedly neuron protection in immature brain cortex after HIBD, which is related with the inhibition on caspase-3 expression.</p>

Neuroprotective effects of Astragulus membranaceus on hypoxia-ischemia brain damage in neonatal rat hippocampus / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study neuroprotective effects of astragulus membraneaceus on a neonatal rat hippocampus of hypoxia-ischemia brain damage (HIBD).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The neonatal hypoxia-ischemia model was established with 7-day-old rat pups. Brain injury was examined by neuron death rate in the hippocampal CA1 area. Caspase-3 (cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase) mRNA expression in ipsilateral hippocampal was measured by half-quantitative reverse transcription and polymerization chain reaction (RT-PCR). 90-day-old rats were used in tri-equal-arm maze to observe discrimination learning ability. Sham, model and astragulus-membraneaceus treated groups were set up.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>In model group, caspase-3 mRNA showed an increase at 6h, with maximum arrivimg at 24 h - 48 h after HI. In astragulus-membraneaceus treated group, neurons death rate and caspase-3 mRNA were significantly reduced by astragulus membraneaceus, and discrimination learning ability of developed rats were improved obviously.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Astragulus membraneaceus has a strong protective effect on neuronal damage in the immature rat hippocampus, which is ralated reducing caspase-3 expression.</p>