ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether a weekly 1500 IU/kg dose of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) is more effective than a dose of 750 IU/kg/week in preventing anemia and reducing the transfusion need in infants with birth weights less than 1000 gm. STUDY DESIGN: In a randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial, 184 infants with birth weights between 500 and 999 gm were treated with either rhEPO 750 (low-dose group) or 1500 IU/kg/week (high-dose group) from day 3 of life until 37 weeks' corrected age. RESULTS: Thirty-two percent of the infants in each group did not receive any transfusion during the treatment period. The total volume of erythrocytes received was similar in each group. The success rate, defined as no transfusion needed and hematocrit value 0.30 L/L or greater, was 27.6% in the low-dose and 29.5% in the high-dose group (p = 0.96). CONCLUSION: Doubling the rhEPO dose of 750 IU/kg/week is not indicated in infants with birth weights less than 1000 gm.
Subject(s)
Anemia/prevention & control , Erythropoietin/administration & dosage , Infant, Very Low Birth Weight , Blood Transfusion/statistics & numerical data , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Double-Blind Method , Drug Administration Schedule , Female , Gestational Age , Hematocrit , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Premature , Infant, Premature, Diseases/prevention & control , Infant, Very Low Birth Weight/blood , Iron/therapeutic use , Male , Recombinant ProteinsABSTRACT
Antigenic beta-lactoglobulin and alpha-casein were measured in the sera of 45 formula-fed infants of 31 to 41 weeks of gestation at 5 days and at 10 days of age. Quantitation was performed by a sensitive ELISA inhibition assay. On day 5 of life antigenic lactoglobulin was detected in 14 of 19 infants of less than 37 weeks gestation, but in only one of 10 infants of more than 36 weeks gestation. On day 10 of life the sera of all infants contained antigenic lactoglobulin. In contrast, on day 5 antigenic casein was present in four of 17 infants of less than 37 weeks gestation, but in 10 of 12 infants of the more mature group. On day 10 casein was detected in seven of 28 infants, with no difference between groups; anti-casein was found in eight of 12 infants. Infants of less than 37 weeks gestation have different absorption patterns than more mature infants do. "Gut closure" is an unlikely explanation for these findings.
Subject(s)
Antibodies/analysis , Antigens/analysis , Caseins/immunology , Infant, Premature/immunology , Lactoglobulins/immunology , Animals , Cattle , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Humans , Infant Food , Infant, Newborn , Milk/immunology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
During 1983 an unusual high incidence of listeriosis in man was observed in parts of Lower Saxony. 24 strains of Listeria monocytogenes--all serotyp 4b--were isolated from 10 newborn infants, 3 children and 11 adults suffering from meningitis and sepsis. All of the affected newborns and children recovered with antibiotic therapy.
Subject(s)
Listeriosis/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Cross Infection/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Germany, West , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Meningitis, Listeria/epidemiology , Middle Aged , Pregnancy , Risk , Sepsis/epidemiologyABSTRACT
A Female infant is described with marked acceleration of her osseous maturation, unusual facial features, hypotonia and hypertrichosis. She was in respiratory distress and had feeding problems. She died at the age of 18 days.
Subject(s)
Abnormalities, Multiple , Bone Development , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/complications , Female , Humans , Hypertrichosis/complications , Infant, Newborn , Muscle Hypotonia/complications , SyndromeSubject(s)
Child, Hospitalized , Morbidity , Transients and Migrants , Adolescent , Age Factors , Child , Child, Preschool , Germany, West , HumansSubject(s)
Ethnicity , Hospitals, Pediatric , Hospitals, Special , Transients and Migrants , Accidents , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Diarrhea/epidemiology , Female , Germany, West/ethnology , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Infections/epidemiology , Length of Stay , Male , Respiratory Tract Diseases/epidemiology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Report on a 17 months old boy with the minor form of asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy. The clinical picture is characterized by a rigid, narrow, and extended thorax and by dyspnea and tendency to develop pneumonitis during early infancy. Later on there is gradual improvement by increase of the thoracic volume. At the age of 17 months there are no more radiographic pelvic deformities which the infant had initially. Up to now the boy shows no skeletal changes of the hands, and no symptoms of renal involvement frequently developing in this disease. Since the a. th. d. is inherited by an autosoma recessive gene, the recognition also of the minor forme is important for genetic counseling. The differentiation between the a. th. d. and the chondroektodermal dysplasia Ellis-van Crefeld is discussed.
