Abdominal Fat Distribution Among Breastfed and Formula-Fed Infants.

OBJECTIVES: To compare abdominal subcutaneous and preperitoneal fat thickness among breastfed, mixed-fed, and formula-fed infants during the first 6 months of life. STUDY DESIGN: A cohort study started with 94 healthy newborns and 76 were followed during the whole first semester of life. Breastfeeding status was assessed by a personal interview. Abdominal subcutaneous and preperitoneal fat thickness was measured by ultrasound at the first, third, and sixth month of life. RESULTS: Subcutaneous and preperitoneal fat thickness showed no differences from the first to the sixth month of life among breastfed, mixed-fed,s and formula-fed infants, respectively; subcutaneous: 26.1 ± 10.2 to 57.4 ± 10.3 cm, 27.7 ± 10.5 to 55.4 ± 1.4, and 28.1 ± 10.9 to 52.7 ± 10.6; p = 0.344; preperitoneal: 10.6 ± 2.0 to 15.2 ± 1.7, 10.3 ± 2.8 to 15.5 ± 1.7, and 9.7 ± 2.6 to 15.6 ± 1.6; p = 0.623). No differences were observed among male and female infants. CONCLUSION: Abdominal fat distribution measured by ultrasound seems not to be different among breastfed and formula-fed infants during the first semester of life.

[Antihypertensive treatment in pregnancy]. / Tratamento anti-hipertensivo na gravidez.

Pregnancy hypertensive disorders represent a frequent gestational pathology. It is one of the most important causes of maternal demise and perinatal morbidity/mortality in the world. Antihypertensive treatment is part of a vast therapeutic arsenal used for prevention of severe complications. However, data from literature research have been controversial about benefits of antihypertensive treatment. We performed a literature review about antihypertensive treatment in severe pre-eclampsia, describing drugs' pharmacological particularities and scientific evidences about their efficacy and safety. It is not controversial that treatment of hypertensive emergency must be instituted. The ideal medication used in those cases is not defined, therefore the real benefits of maintenance antihypertensive treatment in pre-eclampsia remains unclear.

[Nifedipine antihypertensive treatment effects in pre-eclampsia]. / Efeitos da nifedipina no tratamento anti-hipertensivo da pré-eclâmpsia.

Literature analysis has been controversial about pre-eclampsia. It is known that not pregnant patients should be treated due cardiovascular benefits. However, the real benefits of antihypertensive treatment in pre-eclampsia were not demonstrated. Yet, there are many drugs that can be used for antihypertensive treatment in pregnancy. Calcium cannel blockers, particularly nifedipine, are used as a second line treatment. There are just a few evidences about nifedipine treatment in hypertension during pregnancy. Recently, researches were performed to evaluate the effects of nifedipine on maternal-fetal binomial, more safety, efficacy, and effectiveness were found using it. This literature review concludes that hypertension treatment only must be done in severe cases and emergency hypertensive. Therefore nifedipine can be used in antihypertensive treatment during pregnancy without serious complications.

Risk factors for death from meningococcal infection in Recife, Brazil.

To determine the case fatality rate and risk factors for death in children with invasive meningococcal infection, 163 children admitted with meningococcal disease to the Instituto Materno Infantil de Pernambuco, a tertiary paediatric teaching hospital in Recife, Brazil, were included in this retrospective cohort study. Cases were categorised as meningitis, septicaemia and septicaemia with meningitis. Forty-six (28.2 per cent) children had meningitis alone, 88 (54 per cent) septicaemia and meningitis and 29 (17.8 per cent) only septicaemia. Four of the patients with meningitis died (8.7 per cent), compared to 31 out of the 88 (35.2 per cent) with septicaemia and meningitis and 18 of the 29 (62.1 per cent) with septicaemia alone (p < 0.001). Symptoms <24 h (AOR 3.8, 95 per cent CI 1.1-13.1), platelet count <100 000 mm(3) (AOR 13.8, 95 per cent CI 3.1-60.9) and acidosis (AOR 6.0, 95 per cent CI 1.7-21) were the significant risk factors for death. Invasive meningococcal infection has a high case-fatality rate in this tertiary centre in Recife, especially in the septic forms. The identification of risk factors for death could contribute to the early recognition of patients with higher risk on admission in a middle-income country population.