ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between the intake of sugar inositol, serum inositol levels, and ROP in three groups of low birthweight infants receiving feedings containing various concentrations of inositol. METHODS: Infants with a birthweight <1500 g, with severe lung disease, were eligible for the study when they began enteral feedings. Infant formulas contained three different inositol concentrations: 2500, 710, and 242 micromol/L. Serum inositol concentrations were averaged over specific time intervals. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the confounding effect of duration of mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy, birthweight, Apgar score, and serum inositol concentration on development of ROP. RESULTS: Infants receiving high inositol formula and with higher serum inositol concentrations at birth and after 30 days had a statistically significant lower incidence of severe ROP than those receiving the lower inositol formula and with lower serum concentrations (P<.05). The effective serum inositol concentration (EC90) associated with lesser disease was >215 micromol/L. By logistic regression, the odds of developing severe ROP were greater among infants with low serum inositol concentration (odds ratio=4.7, 95% confidence interval 0.90-24.8, P=.017). CONCLUSION: Inositol supplementation may help prevent the most severe form of ROP.
Subject(s)
Dietary Carbohydrates/administration & dosage , Infant Food , Inositol/blood , Retinopathy of Prematurity/blood , Retinopathy of Prematurity/prevention & control , Enteral Nutrition , Gestational Age , Humans , Infant , Infant, Low Birth Weight , Infant, Newborn , Inositol/administration & dosage , Prospective Studies , Retinopathy of Prematurity/etiologyABSTRACT
To estimate the efficacy of intravenous gamma globulin adjunct therapy on the course of severe neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) disease, the hospital records of 67 confirmed cases of early-onset GBS sepsis associated with neutropenia were reviewed. Among the 33 infants who had received antibiotic agents without gamma globulin, 13 (39%) died. Among the 34 who had received antibiotic agents plus gamma globulin, 6 (18%) died (p < 0.05). Among 52 low birth weight infants, 5 (20%) of the 25 given gamma globulin died compared with 13 (48%) of the 27 not given gamma globulin (p < 0.03). Neutrophil counts rose more rapidly among survivors who received gamma globulin than among those who did not. This retrospective study suggests that intravenous gamma globulin adjunct therapy for neonatal GBS disease associated with neutropenia promotes a more rapid increase in neutrophil count and improves survival.
