The effect of lumbar puncture procedure on blood glucose level and leukocyte count in infants.

Blood glucose level, urea concentration, and total white blood cell count were determined both before and 10-15 minutes after lumbar puncture (LP) procedure in 26 infants suspected of having meningitis. There was a significant (p less than 0.001) increase in the peripheral white blood cell (WBC) count (mean +/- standard deviation) from 10,960 +/- 3,500 cells/microliter before to 13,300 +/- 3,970 cells/microliter following the LP procedure, due to relative rise in the neutrophils and lymphocytes. Blood glucose levels did not change significantly following this procedure (85.3 +/- 13.4 mg/dl and 84.1 +/- 12.6 mg/dl respectively). An LP procedure does not impair correct cerebrospinal fluid glucose/blood glucose determination but may cause elevation of peripheral WBC count.

Cardiorespiratory depression and plasma beta-endorphin levels in low-birth-weight infants during the first day of life.

Twenty-nine premature infants were studied to determine whether neonatal asphyxia, apnea, and low blood pressure in the first day of life are associated with elevated plasma beta-endorphin concentrations. Plasma beta-endorphin levels were determined at 0.5 to 2, 4 to 6, and 18 to 24 hours of life, using radioimmunoassay. Premature infants with moderate or severe asphyxia (n = 19) had higher levels at 0.5 to 2 hours of age (32.1 +/- 6.7 vs 16.4 +/- 7.4 pmol/L) and significantly higher levels at 4 to 6 hours of age (50.4 +/- 10.0 vs 22.9 +/- 9.2 pmol/L) compared with the ten nonasphyxiated premature infants. A significant elevation in levels at age 0.5 to 2 hours (39.4 +/- 9.9 vs 17.7 +/- 4.4 pmol/L) and age 4 to 6 hours (59.3 +/- 13.8 vs 27.1 +/- 17.1 pmol/L) was observed in premature infants with low blood pressure or impaired perfusion (n = 12) who required the administration of volume expanders. No differences were observed in premature infants with and without apnea. It may be speculated that the increased endogenous release of beta-endorphins in response to perinatal asphyxia may play a role in the pathogenesis of shock observed in the first day of life.

Neonatal pemphigus vulgaris.

The case history of a baby with neonatal pemphigus vulgaris is presented. This is the 13th case of pemphigus vulgaris during pregnancy reported in the literature. The correlations between the clinical, histologic, and immunofluorescent findings are discussed and a review of all previously reported cases is presented.