Hepcidin and iron status in pregnant women and full-term newborns in first days of life.

OBJECTIVES: The amount of iron is regulated by hepcidin. The aim of the study was to assess hepcidin concentrations in healthy pregnant women before delivery, in cord blood, and in 3-day-old newborns in relation to maternal and neonatal iron status. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 44 mother-newborn pairs. Serum concentrations of hepcidin, ferritin, and transferrin receptor (sTfR) were assessed. RESULTS: Maternal hepcidin was significantly lower than cord blood (p < 0.001), and full-term newborn values (p < 0.001). Mothers also had the lowest ferritin and sTfR concentrations. The highest concentration of hepcidin was observed in the newborns. They had lower sTfR and higher ferritin concentrations than in cord blood (p < 0.001). Maternal ferritin correlated negatively with sTfR (R = -0.50 p = 0.005), and positively with hepcidin (R = 0.41; p = 0.005). There were no correlations between hepcidin and ferritin or sTfR concentrations in cord blood, nor between hepcidin and ferritin or sTfR concentrations in the newborns. Moreover, there were no correlations between maternal and cord blood or neonatal blood hepcidin, nor between maternal hepcidin and infant iron status. There were also no correlations between hepcidin in cord blood and hepcidin or parameters of the iron status in the children. CONCLUSIONS: It may be assumed that a relatively low concentration of hepcidin in women in late pregnancy facilitates their iron accumulation. Higher levels of hepcidin in full-term newborns than in their mothers may be the result of a relatively high level of iron from the stored supplies. Neonatal iron status was independently associated with either maternal or cord blood hepcidin.

[Exposure to carbon monoxide toxicity as a cause for hospitalization of patients in the Children's Clinical Hospital in Lublin in the years 2006-2012]. / Narazenie na toksyczne dzialanie tlenku wegla jako przyczyna hospitalizacji pacjentów w Dzieciecym Szpitalu Klinicznym w Lublinie w latach 2006-2012.

Exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) accounts for a frequent cause for patient hospitalization in the Children's Clinical Hospital (DSK). The most common source of exposure includes the use of defective heating appliances operating on gas or coal and less frequently the fire toxic fumes. The purpose of the present study was to estimate the number of hospitalized patients in DSK in Lublin between the years 2006-2012 according to age, sex, urban-rural residence, season, carboxyheamoglobin (COHb) levels and hospitalization period. The subjects were assigned to three age groups: I - neonates and infants, II - children from 1 to 6 years of age, III - children aged between 7 to 17 years. In total 99 patients (50 female, 49 male) were admitted to hospital on account of carbon monoxide intoxication. Children aged 6 years and above constituted the most numerous age group. Furthermore 1 neonate and 5 infants (6.1%) and 43 children aged 1 to 6 years (43.4%) were hospitalized. The intoxications were visibly season-related. The highest frequency of CO poisoning lasted from October until March. The largest incidence was recorded in December and January. The majority of the children were urban residents - 67%, 33% were from rural areas. Carboxyhaemoglobin levels upon admission ranged from 0 to 26.7%. The average hospitalization lasted 2.4 days. Carbon monoxide intoxication remains a pressing health concern. The awareness of CO intoxication hazards among general public, application of appropriate first aid techniques, identification of clinical symptoms and treatment methods present the opportunity to save lives and reduce the long-term effects of CO poisoning.

[Serum levels of metabolism of type I collagen in relation to physical growth of AGA newborns]. / Stezenie metabolitów kolagenu typu I w surowicy w powiazaniu z rozwojem fizycznym noworodków.

The most interest indicators of bone turn-over are the metabolites of type I collagen, which makes up 90% of bone matrix. C-terminal propeptide type I procollagen (PICP) which is removed from procollagen during extracellular process of collagen fibres formation is known as marker of bone formation. Marker of bone resorption is C-telopeptide alfa 1-chain of type I collagen (Cross-laps) which is removed from collagen during process of degradation. It is known that intensive turn-over of bone tissue take place during developmental periods and is proportional to velocity of child's growth. The aim of the study was to assess correlation between bone formation and resorption and physical development of AGA newborns. Clinical material consisted of 47 newborns born from 26 and 41 weeks of gestation with development appropriate for gestational age (AGA); 28 of them were full-terms and 19 were preterms Physical status at birth was assessed by measuring basic anthropometric parameters of newborns. Biochemical investigations were performed in all newborns between 1st and 2nd week of chronological age. Serum level of PICP (ng/ml) and Cross-laps (pM/I) were assessed using Elisa method. Statistical analysis was performed with the t-Student and Pearson correlation test. Mean level of PICP in newborns' serum was 2073.8 +/- 555.1 ng/ml and mean level of Cross-laps was: 17413.8 +/- 5932.5 pM/l. There were no statistical differences in the level of PICP and Cross-laps in boys and girls, as well as in full-terms and preterms (p > 0.05). Serum level of PICP correlated negatively with gestational age and birth weight of newborns (p < 0.05). Positive correlations were detected for serum level of Cross-laps, gestational and chronological age of newborns (p < 0.05) as well as for serum level of Cross-laps and anthropometric parameters of newborns. There was no statistical correlation between PICP and Cross-laps in newborns serum. The authors suggest that serum level of metabolites of type I collagen may not reflect only bone turn-over but may be dependent on overall physical growth.