Low maternal vitamin D status in pregnancy increases the risk of childhood obesity.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D may modulate adipogenesis. However, limited studies have investigated the effect of maternal vitamin D during pregnancy on offspring adiposity or cardiometabolic parameters with inconclusive results. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to examine the association of maternal 25(OH)-vitamin D [25(OH)D] status with offspring obesity and cardiometabolic characteristics in 532 mother-child pairs from the prospective pregnancy cohort Rhea in Crete, Greece. METHODS: Maternal 25(OH)D concentrations were measured at the first prenatal visit (mean: 14 weeks, SD: 4). Child outcomes included body mass index standard deviation score, waist circumference, skin-fold thickness, blood pressure and serum lipids at ages 4 and 6 years. Body fat percentage was also measured at 6 years. Body mass index growth trajectories from birth to 6 years were estimated by mixed effects models with fractional polynomials of age. Adjusted associations were obtained via multivariable linear regression analyses. RESULTS: About two-thirds of participating mothers had 25(OH)D concentrations <50 nmol L-1 . Offspring of women in the low 25(OH)D tertile (<37.7 nmol L-1 ) had higher body mass index standard deviation score (ß 0.20, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.37), and waist circumference (ß 0.87 95% CI: 0.12, 1.63) at preschool age, compared with the offspring of women with higher 25(OH)D measurements (≥37.7 nmol L-1 ), on covariate-adjusted analyses. The observed relationships persisted at age 6 years. We found no association between maternal 25(OH)D concentrations and offspring blood pressure or serum lipids at both time points. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to very low 25(OH)D concentrations in utero may increase childhood adiposity indices. Given that vitamin D is a modifiable risk factor, our findings may have important public health implications.

Pregnancy, perinatal and postpartum complications as determinants of postpartum depression: the Rhea mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece.

AIMS: Few epidemiological studies evaluated associations between perinatal complications and maternal mood at the early postpartum period and the findings are inconsistent. We aimed at investigating a wide range of complications during pregnancy, at delivery, and at the early postpartum period as determinants of postpartum depression (PPD) at 8 weeks postpartum. METHODS: A total of 1037 women who enrolled in the Rhea mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece participated in the present study. Information on pregnancy, perinatal and postpartum complications was obtained from clinical records or by questionnaires. Postpartum depressive symptoms were assessed at 8 weeks postpartum using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were fit to estimate the association between pregnancy, perinatal and postpartum complications and maternal depressive symptoms, adjusting also for potential confounders. RESULTS: The prevalence of women with probable depression (EPDS score ≥ 13) was 13.6% at 8 weeks postpartum. Gestational hypertension and/or preeclampsia (ß coefficient 1.86, 95% CI: 0.32, 3.41) and breastfeeding difficulties (ß coefficient 0.77, 95% CI: 0.02, 1.53) were significantly associated with higher PPD symptoms. Sleep patterns during pregnancy, such as sleep deprivation (OR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.91, 6.67) and snoring (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.93), and breastfeeding duration less than 2 months (OR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.19, 2.64) were significantly associated with increase in the odds for PPD. Some other complications, such as unplanned pregnancy and hospitalisation during pregnancy were also associated with EPDS score, but these associations were explained by socio-demographic characteristics of the mother. CONCLUSIONS: We found that several pregnancy, perinatal and postpartum complications may have an adverse effect on maternal mood at the early postpartum period. These findings have considerable implications for developing effective prevention and early psychoeducational intervention strategies for women at risk of developing PPD.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet during pregnancy and offspring adiposity and cardiometabolic traits in childhood.

BACKGROUND: In adults, adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been inversely associated with cardiovascular risk, but the extent to which diet in pregnancy is associated with offspring adiposity is unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between adherence to Mediterranean diet in pregnancy and offspring cardiometabolic traits in two pregnancy cohorts. METHODS: We studied 997 mother-child pairs from Project Viva in Massachusetts, USA, and 569 pairs from the Rhea study in Crete, Greece. We estimated adherence to the Mediterranean diet with an a priori defined score (MDS) of nine foods and nutrients (0 to 9). We measured child weight, height, waist circumference, skin-fold thicknesses, blood pressure, and blood levels of lipids, c-reactive protein and adipokines in mid-childhood (median 7.7 years) in Viva, and in early childhood (median 4.2 years) in Rhea. We calculated cohort-specific effects and pooled effects estimates with random-effects models for cohort and child age. RESULTS: In Project Viva, the mean (SD, standard deviation) MDS was 2.7 (1.6); in Rhea it was 3.8 (1.7). In the pooled analysis, for each 3-point increment in the MDS, offspring BMI z-score was lower by 0.14 units (95% CI, -0.15 to -0.13), waist circumference by 0.39 cm (95% CI, -0.64 to -0.14), and the sum of skin-fold thicknesses by 0.63 mm (95% CI, -0.98 to -0.28). We also observed lower offspring systolic (-1.03 mmHg; 95% CI, -1.65 to -0.42) and diastolic blood pressure (-0.57 mmHg; 95% CI, -0.98 to -0.16). CONCLUSION: Greater adherence to Mediterranean diet during pregnancy may protect against excess offspring cardiometabolic risk.

The independent role of prenatal and postnatal exposure to active and passive smoking on the development of early wheeze in children.

Maternal smoking during pregnancy increases childhood asthma risk, but health effects in children of nonsmoking mothers passively exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy are unclear. We examined the association of maternal passive smoking during pregnancy and wheeze in children aged ≤2 years.Individual data of 27 993 mother-child pairs from 15 European birth cohorts were combined in pooled analyses taking into consideration potential confounders.Children with maternal exposure to passive smoking during pregnancy and no other smoking exposure were more likely to develop wheeze up to the age of 2 years (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03-1.20) compared with unexposed children. Risk of wheeze was further increased by children's postnatal passive smoke exposure in addition to their mothers' passive exposure during pregnancy (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.19-1.40) and highest in children with both sources of passive exposure and mothers who smoked actively during pregnancy (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.59-1.88). Risk of wheeze associated with tobacco smoke exposure was higher in children with an allergic versus nonallergic family history.Maternal passive smoking exposure during pregnancy is an independent risk factor for wheeze in children up to the age of 2 years. Pregnant females should avoid active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke for the benefit of their children's health.

Caesarean deliveries in the Mother-Child (Rhea) cohort in Crete, Greece: almost as frequent as vaginal births and even more common in first-time mothers.

BACKGROUND: Caesarean deliveries are on the increase in Greece and around the world. The objective of the present study was to assess the frequency of planned and emergency caesarean deliveries and their socio-demographic predictors in women with singleton pregnancies followed-up from early pregnancy to delivery. METHODS: The mother-child cohort in Crete examines a population sample of pregnant women recruited during one year beginning in February 2007. A cohort of 1096 women, with singleton pregnancies, was included in the present analyses. Multivariable Poisson regression models with robust error variance were used. RESULTS: Overall, 48% of the women had a caesarean delivery, with a higher percentage observed in women having their first child (52%). Maternal age was a predictor for caesarean deliveries; type of hospital was associated with the risk for an emergency caesarean, whereas women with lower education were at an increased risk of having a planned caesarean delivery among primiparae. Prior caesarean delivery was by far the strongest predictor (RR=7.68, 95% CI 5.71, 10.33) for a subsequent one among multiparae. CONCLUSIONS: Caesarean deliveries are almost as frequent as vaginal births in the study population and even more frequent in first-time mothers. The study findings support that risk factors are indeed mode of delivery and parity status specific. As such, it is becoming clearer which groups of women, especially first-time mothers, need to be targeted in future research and interventions so as to understand better and achieve an appropriate caesarean delivery risk.

Maternal personality traits and risk of preterm birth and fetal growth restriction.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Maternal personality may increase vulnerability to stress, which could lead to an unfavourable intrauterine environment to the fetus. We sought to investigate the impact of maternal personality traits on adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth, and fetal growth restriction in the mother-child cohort study (RHEA Study) in Crete, Greece 2007-2009. METHODS: Five hundred and eighty pregnant women participating in "Rhea" cohort study completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R) at 28-32 weeks of gestation. Information on anthropometric measures at birth was obtained from the hospital delivery logs and medical records. Fetal growth restriction was based on a customized model, and multivariate logistic regression models were used adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: A per unit increase in the EPQ Neuroticism scale increased the risk for fetal weight growth restriction by 9% [odds ratio (OR)=1.09, 95 percent CI: 1.01, 1.19)], and for fetal head circumference growth restriction by 6% [OR=1.06, 95 percent CI: 1.01, 1.18] after adjusting for maternal age, education, origin, marital status, working status, pre-pregnancy BMI, delivery type, parity, smoking, and alcohol intake during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal neuroticism, which predisposes to negative mood, may be a risk factor for fetal growth restriction.

The metabolic syndrome in early pregnancy and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus.

AIM: The objective of the present study was to determine whether or not maternal metabolic syndrome in early pregnancy in women without previous diabetes is associated with the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: A total of 508 women from the Rhea study-involving a pregnant cohort in Crete, Greece (2007-2009)-with singleton pregnancies were included in the present analysis. Maternal fasting serum samples were collected and blood pressure measured before gestational week 15. The metabolic syndrome in early pregnancy was defined according to NHLBI/AHA criteria. Pregnant women were screened for GDM between weeks 24 and 28 of gestation, as defined by Carpenter and Coustan criteria. Multivariable log-binomial regression models were used to estimate the effect of the metabolic syndrome in early pregnancy on the risk of GDM, after adjusting for confounding factors. RESULTS: Women with the metabolic syndrome were at high risk of GDM (RR=3.17; 95% CI: 1.06-9.50). Among the components of the metabolic syndrome, the most significant risk factors were impaired fasting glucose (RR=4.92; 95% CI: 1.41-17.23) and pre-pregnancy obesity (RR=2.65; 95% CI: 1.23-5.70). A 10-mmHg rise in systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased the relative risk of GDM by 49% (RR=1.49; 95% CI: 1.10-2.02) and 34% (RR=1.34; 95% CI: 1.04-1.73), respectively, whereas a 1-unit increase in pre-pregnancy BMI increased the relative risk of GDM by 6% (RR=1.06; 95% CI: 1.01-1.12). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that women with the metabolic syndrome in early pregnancy have a greater risk of developing GDM.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia meningitis. Report of two cases and review of the literature.

The authors report two cases of meningitis caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in cancer patients following placement of an Ommaya reservoir for treatment of meningeal carcinomatosis. In addition, they review eight other cases of S. maltophilia that have been reported to date. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia meningitis is often associated with neurosurgical procedures; however, spontaneous infection may also occur, mainly in neonates. The disease's clinical presentation is similar to that of other forms of meningitis caused by Gram-negative bacilli. The overall mortality rate of this disease is 20% and is limited to neonates with spontaneous meningitis in whom effective antibiotic therapy is delayed. Meningitis caused by S. maltophilia in the modern era should be considered in immunocompromised hosts with significant central nervous system disease who have undergone neurosurgical procedures and who do not readily respond to broad-spectrum antimicrobial coverage.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia: an unusual cause of biliary sepsis.

We report three cases of cholangitis caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and review two other cases reported in the literature. All five episodes occurred in patients with hepatobiliary malignancy complicated by biliary tract obstruction. All five episodes occurred in patients with hepatobiliary malignancy complicated by biliary tract obstruction. All patients had undergone biliary tract instrumentation. Before infection developed, four of the five patients had received therapy with antibiotics that do not have in vitro activity against this organism. Four patients responded to appropriate antibiotic therapy and biliary tract decompression, whereas the fifth patient, who had persistent biliary obstruction, did not respond to appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Analysis of immunohistochemical results of the ras oncogene product p21 in myelodysplastic syndromes.

Mutation of the ras oncogenes is the most commonly detected molecular abnormality in acute myelogenous leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). This molecular event may either be acquired by different subclones or by all malignant cells. The availability of the ras p21 monoclonal antibody Y13 259 makes possible the direct study of the distribution of the ras gene product in human malignant cells. The bone marrow smears from 41 patients with MDS were analysed by two independent observers after treatment with MoAb Y13 259, biotinylated goat antirat IgG, streptavidin, peroxidase and staining with diaminobenzidine. A high proportion of strongly positive smears was found among patients with MDS. This positivity was found in 25% of refractory anemia, in 80% of the refractory anemias with excess of blasts, and in 90% of those in transformation, while all 7 cases with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia were found positive. The percentage of positivity may suggest that activation of ras oncogene in associated with disease progression.

The expression of the ras p21 oncoprotein in the bone marrow smears of children with acute leukemia.

Point mutations of the ras genes have been detected in various hematologic malignancies. This genetic event may either occur in all malignant cells or be acquired by different subclones, which however, cannot be demonstrated adequately by analyzing only DNA derived from patient specimens. The availability of the ras p21 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) Y 13259 makes possible the direct study of the distribution of the ras gene product in human malignant cells. In this report the expression of the ras p21 oncoprotein in the bone marrow smears of 35 children with acute leukemia has been analyzed. The smears were treated with the MoAb Y 13259, biotinylated goat anti-rat IgG, streptavidin, peroxidase and stained with diaminobenzidine (DAB). The intensity of the staining was evaluated by two independent observers as negative or equivocal (-/+), moderate (+) or intense (++), by counting one thousand cells. Patients were also classified according to the percentage of the stained cells into four groups (0, I, II, III). It was found that 22/35 (63%) were (+) or (++) positive as follows: 11/21 (52%) with ALL CALLA (+), 2/2 ALL-B, 3/3 ALL-T and 6/9 AML. In Group 0 (none of the blasts was stained) were 13/35 (37%), as well as in Group I (1 to 25% of the blasts stained 1+ or 2+ positive), while in Group II (26 to 50% positive stained) 3/35 and in Group III (more than 51% stained) 6/35, all of which were AML (6/9). It is concluded that the immunohistochemical analysis of the ras p21 in blast cells of children with acute leukemia may demonstrate that ras gene expression in some subclones, the intensity and percentage of which may be of some clinical importance.