Vancomycin monitoring in term newborns: comparison of peak and trough serum concentrations determined by high performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence polarization immunoassay.

INTRODUCTION: Peak and trough serum concentrations of vancomycin were determined in term newborn infants with confirmed or suspected Staphylococcus sp sepsis by high performance liquid chromatography and flourescence polarization immunoassay. OBJECTIVE: To statistically compare the results of the high performance liquid chromatography and flourescence polarization immunoassay techniques for measuring serum vancomycin concentrations. METHODS: Eighteen peak and 20 trough serum samples were assayed for vancomycin concentrations using high performance liquid chromatography and flourescence polarization immunoassay from October 1995 to October 1997. RESULTS: The linear correlation coefficients for high performance liquid chromatography and flourescence polarization immunoassay were 0.27 (peak, P = 0.110) and 0.26 (trough, P = 0.1045) respectively, which were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: There was wide variation in serum vancomycin concentrations determined by high performance liquid chromatography as compared with those determined by flourescence polarization immunoassay. There was no recognizable pattern in the variability; in an apparently random fashion, the high performance liquid chromatography measurement was sometimes substantially higher than the flourescence polarization immunoassay measurement, and at other times it was substantially lower.

[Diagnostic of congenital syphilis: a comparison between serological tests in mothers and their newborns]. / Diagnóstico de sífilis congênita: comparação entre testes sorológicos na mãe e no recém-nascido.

For the purpose of establishing the incidence of maternal and congenital syphilis among pregnant women at delivery and their respective newborns, a study was carried out to determine treponemic and non-treponemic serology in one thousand (1,000) parturient women and their children at Santa Marcelina Hospital - São Paulo, between June 95 and July 96. All blood samples (maternal venous, umbilical cord and newborn venous) were VDRL-tested, treponemic tests (TPHA, ELISA IgG, ELISA IgM) being applied whenever one of the samples from mother or newborn proved positive. Further, an anti-HIV search was run through ELISA among VDRL-positive mothers. Among the 1,000 parturients, 24 (2.4%) were found to be VDRL-reactive; 18 (1.8%) newborn children of these 24 mothers presented positive serology in their umbilical cord blood and 19 (1.9%) in venous blood. No positive newborns were found for negative mothers. From the high occurrence of maternal and congenital syphilis in this group of patients, we propose a VDRL maternal test as a way of selecting gestational and congenital syphilis cases, since this test appeared to be sufficiently capable of such diagnoses. Of the treponemic tests, the ELISA test did not enhance diagnostic sensitivity.

[Neonatal bacterial meningitis: prospective study of the long-term outcome of 55 children]. / Meningite bacteriana neonatal: estudo prospectivo da evolução a longo prazo de 55 crianças.

Fifty-five infants who presented bacterial neonatal meningitis were prospectively studied to analyze the frequency and the type of sequelae. All the infants were full term newborns. There were 38 boys and 17 girls; the age of disease onset varied from 3 to 28 days. The causative organism was represented mainly by enterobacteriae. The median time of follow-up was 5 years. The frequency of neurologic sequelae was 63.7%, represented mainly by neuropsychomotor development delay (58.2%), hydrocephaly (45.5%) and convulsions (34.5%). Severe motor abnormalities ocurred in 23.6% of children (quadriplegia, diplegia, hemiparesia and ataxia). Convulsions in the acute phase of the disease and the positive cerebrospinal fluid culture were highly associated to sequelae. The school performance, obtained in 25 children, showed presence of disabilities in 48% of cases, which were significantly associated to mental retardation.

[Biochemical and hematometric effects of exchange transfusion in isoimmunized neonates]. / Efectos bioquímicos y hematimétricos de la exanguinotransfusión en el recién nacido con isoinmunización.

A hundred twenty full term newborns infants (RN) with ABO or Rh isoimmunization who were submitted to exchange transfusion (ET) because hyperbilirubinemia have been studied and with the procedure were demonstrated: 1. Increase the levels of serum sodium in 2.8% in the RN of ABO group and 3.2% in the RN of Rh group with a recurrence of the original values prior to the procedure within three hours post-ET. 2. The levels of serum sodium equal or superior to 180 mEq/L (mmol/L) in the donor's blood led to hypernatremia after the ET, with a recurrence of the original values prior to the procedures within three hours post-ET. 3. The levels of serum potassium of the RN decreased (-7.7% in the ABO group and -5.47% in the Rh group) with a recurrence of the normal values in the control of six hours post-ET in the ABO group and one of 12 hours in the Rh group. 4. The levels of total calcium in the controls haven't been significantly altered up to 24 hours post-ET. 5. Regarding the pH, in spite of having used blood with low levels compared to those expected for fresh blood, the RN for this experiment maintained the acid-base balance within normal range. In relation to the hematimetric values, the ET: 1. Increase both hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hto) values in both groups (increase of 5.6% in Hb and 6% in Hto in the ABO group and increase of 9.2% in Hb and 6.1% in Hto in the Rh group), right after the ET, with a reduction in the control posterior to that. 2. The values of Hb and Hto were always inferior in the RN in the Rh group. Therefore, it has been shown the high intensity of the hemolysis in this group.