Antibody Profile of Colostrum and the Effect of Processing in Human Milk Banks: Implications in Immunoregulatory Properties.

BACKGROUND: When feeding preterm infants, donor milk is preferred if the mother's own milk is unavailable. Pasteurization may have detrimental effects on bioactivity, but more information is needed about its effects on the immunological compounds. Research aim: This work has two main aims: evaluate the antibody profile of colostrum and study the quantitative variations in the antibodies' level and specific reactivity after undergoing Holder pasteurization. The authors focused on immunoregulatory components of colostrum (antidietary antibodies and TGF-ß2) in the neonatal gut. METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of 67 donated colostrum samples at different days after delivery, both raw and pasteurized. Antibody profiles were analyzed at different times during breastfeeding, and total and specific antibodies (IgM, IgA, and IgG subclasses) were compared with tetanus toxoid and ovalbumin using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The processing effect on total and specific antibodies, as well as TGF-ß2, was evaluated by paired analyses. RESULTS: No variations in immunological compounds were observed throughout the colostrum stage. The TGF-ß2, antibodies' concentrations, and antibodies' specific reactivity after pasteurization did not vary significantly as days of lactation varied. Changes in antibody levels were dependent on isotype and IgG subclass, and IgG4 showed remarkable resistance to heating. Moreover, the effect of the pasteurization on specific reactivity was antigen dependent. CONCLUSION: The supply of relevant immunological components is stable throughout the colostrum stage. The effects of pasteurization on antibodies depend on isotype, subclass, and specificity. This information is relevant to improving the immunological quality of colostrum, especially for preterm newborns.

Bancos de leche, la solidaridad que alimenta a los más pequeños / No disponible

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Ensaio clínico sobre o efeito da acupuntura no nível de ansiedade de mães de prematuros em processo de lactação / Clinical trial on the effect of acupuncture for anxiety in lactating mothers with preterm infants

As mães de recém-nascidos prematuros vivenciam a ansiedade oriunda da fragilidade e incerteza sobre as condições de vida de seu filho e a convivência com o estressante ambiente hospitalar, com implicações no aleitamento materno. Na tentativa de amenizar esta situação, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da acupuntura na ansiedade de mães de recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso (RNMBP). Trata-se de um ensaio clínico randomizado realizado em um hospital universitário do norte do Paraná. A pesquisa foi aprovada pelo Comitê de Ética e Pesquisa da instituição na qual foi realizado o estudo e foi submetida a registro em base de dados para ensaios clínicos Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. Todas as participantes assinaram o Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido. A coleta de dados ocorreu no Banco de Leite Humano da instituição, entre agosto de 2011 e novembro de 2012. As participantes foram alocadas em dois grupos: grupo acupuntura (GA) e grupo placebo (GP) e receberam sessões semanais de acupuntura auricular chinesa nos pontos Shenmen, Tensão, Ansiedade 1 e 2 e Relaxamento Muscular. A acupuntura placebo foi realizada com agulhas auriculares adaptadas, sem perfurar a pele. Houve cegamento entre as participantes e o estatístico que realizou a análise dos dados. Utilizaram-se o Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado e a mensuração do cortisol salivar, antes e após a intervenção. Participaram do estudo 29 mães de RNMBP, 14 pertencentes ao GA e 15 pertencentes ao GP. A idade das participantes variou entre 16 e 40 anos, com mediana de 27 anos. A maioria tinha escolaridade até o ensino médio (57%), vivia com o companheiro (72%) e possuía trabalho remunerado (65%). Quanto às variáveis de aleitamento materno, 48% relataram experiência prévia com amamentação, sendo que 13% apresentaram intercorrências durante este período. A incidência de aleitamento materno exclusivo entre as participantes, na data da alta do recém-nascido, foi de 76%, nove pertencentes ao GA (64%) e 13, ao GP (87%), sem relevância estatística entre estes valores (p=0,215). Os resultados para o cortisol salivar, antes da intervenção, variaram entre 0,02 e 0,33 ug/dL para o total de participantes, com média de 0,13 para ambos os grupos (DP=0,08). Após a intervenção, ambos os grupos apresentaram média de 0,14 ug/dL (DP=0,12), variando entre 0,02 e 0,49 ug/dL. A diferença média entre as medidas de cortisol salivar, antes e após a intervenção, foi de -0,02 ug/dL (DP=0,11), mostrando que os níveis de cortisol aumentaram após a intervenção em ambos os grupos, sem significância estatística (p=0,480), e contrariando o esperado. Após a intervenção, o escore de ansiedade-estado das participantes teve redução média de oito pontos, não havendo diferença estatística entre os grupos (p=0,888), com a possibilidade de que tanto a acupuntura real quanto a placebo tenham produzido resultados positivos na redução da ansiedade. Sugere-se que estudos com maior amostra e um terceiro grupo controle sejam conduzidos para melhor esclarecer os efeitos da acupuntura para a redução da ansiedade nesta população.(AU)

Mothers of preterm infants experience anxiety due to the child's frail and uncertain health condition. Spending time in a stressful hospital environment has implications to lactation and breastfeeding. In the attempt to diminish this situation, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of acupuncture in mothers with very low birth weight infants (VLBW). This is a randomized, patient-assessor blind, sham-controlled clinical trial, conducted in a school hospital in northern Paraná. This research has been approved by the ethics review board of the institution where it took place. The trial is registered at Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, number 12611000025932. All participants signed the written informed consent. Data was collected at the institution's Human Milk Bank from August 2011 to November 2012. Subjects were allocated into two groups: acupuncture - AG or placebo-acupuncture - PG and treatment sessions occurred once a week. The Chinese ear acupoints used were Shenmen, Tension, Anxiety 1 and 2, Muscle relaxation. For placebo- acupuncture, custom-designed noninvasive ear needles were used. Participants were submitted to the STAI-Y scale and salivary cortisol measurements before and after treatment. Twenty-nine mother's with VLBW infants took part in the study (GA = 14, GP = 15). Participants' age ranged from 16 to 40, median age was 27 years old. Most subjects had high school educational levels (57%); lived with their partners (72%) and had paid jobs (65%). 48% mothers had previous experiences with breastfeeding and 13% mentioned some problems while doing so. Exclusive breastfeeding rate at infant's hospital discharge was 76%, AG = 9 (64%), PG = 13 (87%), not significant (p=0,215). Salivary cortisol levels before intervention ranged from 0,02 to 0,33 ug/dL and both groups presented mean 0,13 ug/dL (SD = 0,08). After treatment both groups had 0,14 ug/dL (SD = 0,12) mean levels, with a 0,02 - 0,49 ug/dL range. Mean difference between salivary cortisol levels before and after treatment was -0,02 ug/dL (SD = 0,11), showing increase in cortisol levels after treatment for both groups, not significant and contrary to expected. After treatment, mean STAI-Y1 (state) scores dropped 8 points, not significant between groups (p=0,888). This result indicate that both real and placebo acupuncture may have produced positive effects in anxiety reduction. We suggest other studies are conducted with bigger sample sizes and that include a third arm with routine care as control group to better understand the effects of acupuncture for anxiety in this population.(AU)