Association between marijuana use and adverse obstetrical and neonatal outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate associations between marijuana exposure and adverse outcomes excluding women with polysubstance abuse and stratifying for concurrent maternal tobacco use. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective cohort study evaluating various obstetrical and neonatal outcomes including: preterm delivery, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, cesarean delivery, fetal growth restriction, a composite which included stillbirth or neonatal intensive care unit admission, and perinatal mortality. We stratified study groups according to the maternal tobacco use and performed a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: We included 6468 women, 6107 nonusers and 361 marijuana users. After adjustment for maternal age, race, parity, body mass index and no prenatal care, we found higher rates of small for gestational age (aOR 1.30 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.62)) and neonatal intensive care unit admission (aOR 1.54 (1.14 to 2.07)) in women who were not tobacco users. Other obstetrical outcomes including preterm delivery and fetal anomalies were not increased with maternal marijuana use. CONCLUSION: Maternal marijuana use does not increase the risk of adverse obstetrical outcomes or fetal anomalies, but does increase the risk for small for gestational age and neonatal intensive care unit admission.

Changes in lung activity of superoxide dismutase and copper concentration during lung tumorigenesis by hydralazine in Swiss mice.

Hydralazine (1-hydrazinophthalazine) was administered in drinking water as a 0.0312% solution to randomly bred Swiss mice for life beginning at 5 weeks of age. The treatments gave rise to statistically significant incidences of lung tumors: 55% in females and 43% in males. A decreased copper concentration and superoxide dismutase activity in the lung of mice were observed. The role of copper and superoxide dismutase in the malignant process is briefly discussed.

Copper and zinc concentrations, and superoxide dismutase activities in malignant and nonmalignant tissues of female reproductive organs.

The copper and zinc concentrations in 44 malignant and 48 nonmalignant women tissue samples of reproductive organs in women were measured. In malignant samples, the mean copper concentrations were 110%, 76%, and 38% higher for cervix, endometrium and ovary than the nonmalignant ones. The zinc concentrations in the analysed malignant tissues were lower than that in the corresponding nonmalignant tissues. The results of superoxide dismutase activities determinations demonstrate a considerable lowering of the enzymatic capacities to remove free oxygen radical in malignant tissues. A hypothesis for possible mechanism involving elevated copper concentrations, and decreased zinc concentrations, which may be responsible for malignant processes, are presented.

Urinary excretions of hydroxylysylglycosides in rats with experimentally induced collagen-like syndrome.

The excretion of the two hydroxylysine glycosides hydroxylysine-galactose-glucose and hydroxylysine-galactose was studied in the urine of normal healthy and experimental rats chronically treated with collagen-like syndrome inductors, hydralazine or binazine. The elevated urinary hydroxylysine-galactose-glucose and hydroxylysine-galactose strongly suggests an altered rate of collagen degradation during induced collagen-like syndrome.

Antilupus activity of copper (II).

Collagen-like syndrome was induced in rats by oral hydralazine administration during 5 months. After 4 months, a subgroup of rats was shifted from the standard diet to the diet supplemented with copper (II) (60 micrograms of copper per g of pellet) as copper sulphate. A decreased serum copper concentration was noted, LE cells were observed in the blood of 75% of rats fed with standard diet. In the subgroup of copper supplemented rats, the LE cells were observed in 40% of rats only. The activity of superoxide dismutase, the antioxidative copper-dependent enzyme, was significantly lower in erythrocytes of rats fed with standard diet, than the activity in rats fed with copper supplemented diet. These results are briefly discussed.

Zinc and copper in human milk.

Studies of zinc and copper contents of breast milk were performed in 34 mothers during their lactation period until 5 days postpartum. They experienced no problems during pregnancy and delivery. All women had full term healthy infants, 22 were multiparous and 12 primiparous. The highest zinc concentration was found in the colostrum, and subsequently the concentration declined. Copper content was stable during the 5 days of lactation. Significantly lower zinc concentration and higher copper concentration were found in the serum of lactating women 3 days post partum, when compared with non-lactating women. Factors including lactation history, age of lactating women, serum levels of zinc and copper did not affect the contents of these trace minerals in breast milk.