Maternal serum fructosamine levels and stillbirth: a case-control study of the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between maternal fructosamine levels at the time of delivery and stillbirth. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a case-control study. SETTING: Multicentre study of five geographic catchment areas in the USA. POPULATION: All singleton stillbirths with known diabetes status and fructosamine measurement, and representative live birth controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fructosamine levels in stillbirths and live births among groups were adjusted for potential confounding factors, including diabetes. Optimal thresholds of fructosamine to discriminate stillbirth and live birth. RESULTS: A total of 529 women with a stillbirth and 1499 women with a live birth were included in the analysis. Mean fructosamine levels were significantly higher in women with a stillbirth than in women with a live birth after adjustment (177 ± 3.05 versus 165 ± 2.89 µmol/L, P < 0.001). The difference in fructosamine levels between stillbirths and live births was greater among women with diabetes (194 ± 8.54 versus 162 ± 3.21 µmol/L), compared with women without diabetes (171 ± 2.50 versus 162 ± 2.56 µmol/L). The area under the curve (AUC) for fructosamine level and stillbirth was 0.634 (0.605-0.663) overall, 0.713 (0.624-0.802) with diabetes and 0.625 (0.595-0.656) with no diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal fructosamine levels at the time of delivery were higher in women with stillbirth compared with women with live birth. Differences were substantial in women with diabetes, suggesting a potential benefit of glycaemic control in women with diabetes during pregnancy. The small differences noted in women without diabetes are not likely to justify routine screening in all cases of stillbirth. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Maternal serum fructosamine levels are higher in women with stillbirth than in women with live birth, especially in women with diabetes.

Stillbirth and fetal anomalies: secondary analysis of a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: Approximately 10% of stillbirths are attributed to fetal anomalies, but anomalies are also common in live births. We aimed to assess the relationship between anomalies, by system and stillbirth. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a prospective, case-control study. SETTING: Multicentre, 59 hospitals in five regional catchment areas in the USA. POPULATION OR SAMPLE: All stillbirths and representative live birth controls. METHODS: Standardised postmortem examinations performed in stillbirths, medical record abstraction for stillbirths and live births. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of major anomalies, by type, compared between stillbirths and live births with univariable and multivariable analyses using weighted analysis to account for study design and differential consent. RESULTS: Of 465 singleton stillbirths included, 23.4% had one or more major anomalies compared with 4.3% of 1871 live births. Having an anomaly increased the odds of stillbirth; an increasing number of anomalies was more highly associated with stillbirth. Regardless of organ system affected, the presence of an anomaly increased the odds of stillbirth. These relationships remained significant if stillbirths with known genetic abnormalities were excluded. After multivariable analyses, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of stillbirth for any anomaly was 4.33 (95% CI 2.80-6.70) and the systems most strongly associated with stillbirth were cystic hygroma (aOR 29.97, 95% CI 5.85-153.57), and thoracic (aOR16.18, 95% CI 4.30-60.94) and craniofacial (aOR 35.25, 95% CI 9.22-134.68) systems. CONCLUSIONS: In pregnancies affected by anomalies, the odds of stillbirth are higher with increasing numbers of anomalies. Anomalies of nearly any organ system increased the odds of stillbirth even when adjusting for gestational age and maternal race. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Stillbirth risk increases with anomalies of nearly any organ system and with number of anomalies seen.

Injuries from the wichita falls tornado: implications for prevention.

We examined the circumstances of death and injury among victims of the tornado that struck Wichita Falls, Texas, on 10 April 1979. We also assessed the protective measures taken by a representative sample of community residents who suffered no major injury in order to estimate the relative risk of injury to people directly in the tornado's path. Twenty-six (60 percent) of the 43 traumatic deaths and 30 (51 percent) of the 59 serious injuries occurred in people who, despite ample warning, went to their cars to drive out of the storm's path. These people had a risk of serious or fatal injury of 23 per 1000. People who remained indoors and in stationary homes were at relatively low risk (3 per 1000) if they took simple precautions; people in mobile homes were at greatest risk (85 per 1000). Current safety recommendations and housing codes for single family homes and mobile homes need to be amended to decrease the impact of future tornadoes on human health.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes among extremely premature infants with linear growth restriction.

OBJECTIVE: To compare neurodevelopmental outcomes in linear growth-restricted (LGR) infants born <29 weeks with and without weight gain out of proportion to linear growth. STUDY DESIGN: We compared 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes between infants with and without LGR and between LGR infants with and without weight gain out of proportion to linear growth. The outcomes were Bayley-III cognitive, motor, and language scores, cerebral palsy, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level ≥ 2, and neurodevelopmental impairment. RESULT: In total, 1227 infants were analyzed. LGR infants were smaller and less mature at birth, had higher BMI, and had lower Bayley-III language scores (82.3 vs. 85.0, p < 0.05). Among infants with LGR, infants with high BMI had lower language scores compared with those with low-to-normal BMI (80.8 vs. 83.3, p < 0.05), and were more likely to have GMFCS level ≥2 and neurodevelopmental impairment. CONCLUSION: Among infants with LGR, weight gain out of proportion to linear growth was associated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Association between early postnatal weight loss and death or BPD in small and appropriate for gestational age extremely low-birth-weight infants.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between weight loss during the first 10 days of life and the incidence of death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in small for gestational age (SGA) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) extremely low-birth-weight infants. DESIGN/METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of a cohort of ELBW (birth weight <1000 g) infants from the NICHD Neonatal Research Network's database. The cohort consisted of 9461 ELBW infants with gestational age of 24-29 weeks, admitted to Network's participating centers during calendar years 1994-2002 and surviving at least 72 h after birth. The cohort was divided into two groups, 1248 SGA (with birth weight below 10th percentile for gestational age) and 8213 AGA (with birth weight between 10th and 90th percentile) infants. We identified infants with or without weight loss during the first 10 days of life, which we termed as 'early postnatal weight loss' (EPWL). Univariate analyses were used to predict whether EPWL was related to the primary outcome, death or BPD, within each birth weight/gestation category (SGA or AGA). BPD and death were also analyzed separately in relation to EPWL. Logistic regression analysis was done to evaluate the risk of death or BPD in SGA and AGA groups, controlling for maternal and neonatal demographic and clinical factors found to be significant by univariate analysis. RESULTS: SGA ELBW infants had a lower prevalence of EPWL as compared with AGA ELBW infants (81.2 vs 93.7%, respectively, P<0.001). In AGA infants, univariate analysis showed that death or BPD rate was lower in the group of infants with EPWL compared with infants without EPWL (53.4 vs 74.3%, respectively, P<0.001). The BPD (47.2 vs 64%, P<0.001) and death (13.8 vs 32.9%, P<0.001) rate were similarly lower in the EPWL group. The risk-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) showed that EPWL was associated with lower rate of death or BPD (OR 0.47, 95% CI: 0.37-0.60). In SGA infants, on univariate analysis, a similar association between EPWL and outcomes was seen as shown in AGA infants: death or BPD (55.9 vs 75.2%, P<0.001), BPD rate (48.3 vs 62.1%, P=0.002) and rate death (19 vs 40.8%, P<0.001) for those with or without EPWL, respectively. Multiple logistic regression showed that as in AGA ELBW infants, EPWL was associated with lower risk for death or BPD (OR 0.60, 95% CI: 0.41-0.89) among SGA infants. CONCLUSIONS: SGA infants experienced less EPWL when compared with their AGA counterparts. EPWL was associated with a lower risk of death or BPD in both ELBW AGA and SGA infants. These data suggest that clinicians who consider the association between EPWL and risk of death or BPD should do so independent of gestation/birth weight status.

Barriers to enrollment in a randomized controlled trial of hydrocortisone for cardiovascular insufficiency in term and late preterm newborn infants.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze reasons for low enrollment in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the effect of hydrocortisone for cardiovascular insufficiency on survival without neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in term/late preterm newborns. STUDY DESIGN: The original study was a multicenter RCT. Eligibility: ⩾34 weeks' gestation, <72 h old, mechanically ventilated, receiving inotrope. Primary outcome was NDI at 2 years; infants with diagnoses at high risk for NDI were excluded. This paper presents an analysis of reasons for low patient enrollment. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-seven of the 932 otherwise eligible infants received inotropes; however, 207 (81%) had exclusionary diagnoses. Only 12 infants were randomized over 10 months; therefore, the study was terminated. Contributing factors included few eligible infants after exclusions, open-label steroid therapy and a narrow enrollment window. CONCLUSION: Despite an observational study to estimate the population, very few infants were enrolled. Successful RCTs of emergent therapy may require fewer exclusions, a short-term primary outcome, waiver of consent and/or other alternatives.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes in postnatal growth-restricted preterm infants with postnatal head-sparing.

OBJECTIVE: To compare neurodevelopmental outcomes in postnatal growth-restricted infants born <29 weeks with and without postnatal head-sparing (PHS). STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed developmental outcomes at 2 years of age among postnatally growth-restricted infants with and without head-sparing. The primary outcome was Bayley III cognitive composite score; secondary outcomes included Bayley III motor composite score, moderate/severe cerebral palsy, gross motor functional classification scale level⩾2, and presence or absence of neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI). RESULTS: Of 1098 infants evaluated at 18 to 22 months, 658 were postnatally growth restricted, of whom 301 had head-sparing. In the multivariate model including independent risk factors for poor growth and poor developmental outcome, infants with head-sparing had higher adjusted motor composite scores (mean difference 4.65, P<0.01), but no differences in other neurodevelopmental outcomes. CONCLUSION: PHS is associated with improved neurodevelopmental outcome in extremely preterm infants, specifically Bayley III motor scores, but whether beneficial effects of PHS persist later in life is unknown.

Changes in mortality and morbidities among infants born at less than 25 weeks during the post-surfactant era.

OBJECTIVES: To compare mortality and death or major morbidity (DOMM) among infants <25 weeks estimated gestational age (EGA) born during two post-surfactant era time periods. STUDY DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Comparative cohort study of very low birthweight (501-1500 g) infants <25 weeks EGA in the NICHD Neonatal Research Network born during two post-surfactant era time periods (group I, 1991-1994, n=1408; group II, 1995-1998, n=1348). Perinatal and neonatal factors were compared, and group related mortality and DOMM risk were evaluated. RESULTS: Mortality was higher for group I (63.1% v 56.7%; p=0.0006). Antenatal steroids (ANS) and antenatal antibiotics (AABX), surfactant (p<0.0001), and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (p=0.0008) were more prevalent in group II. In a regression model that controlled for basic and delivery factors only, mortality risk was greater for group I than for group II (odds ratio (OR) 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2 to 1.7); the addition of AABX and surfactant, or ANS (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.2) to the model appeared to account for this difference. There was no difference in DOMM (86.8% v 88.4%; p=0.2), but risk was lower for group I in regression models that included ANS (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.94). CONCLUSION: Survival to discharge was more likely during the more recent period because of group differences in ANS, AABX, and surfactant. However, this treatment shift may reflect an overall more aggressive management approach. More consistent application of treatment has led to improving survival of <25 week EGA infants during the post-surfactant era, but possibly at the cost of greater risk of major in-hospital morbidities.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn in the era before nitric oxide: practice variation and outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: In the era before widespread use of inhaled nitric oxide, to determine the prevalence of persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) in a multicenter cohort, demographic descriptors of the population, treatments used, the outcomes of those treatments, and variation in practice among centers. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 385 neonates who received >/=50% inspired oxygen and/or mechanical ventilation and had documented evidence of PPHN (2D echocardiogram or preductal or postductal oxygen difference) were tracked from admission at 12 Level III neonatal intensive care units. Demographics, treatments, and outcomes were documented. RESULTS: The prevalence of PPHN was 1.9 per 1000 live births (based on 71 558 inborns) with a wide variation observed among centers (.43-6.82 per 1000 live births). Neonates with PPHN were admitted to the Level III neonatal intensive care units at a mean of 12 hours of age (standard deviation: 19 hours). Wide variations in the use of all treatments studied were found at the centers. Hyperventilation was used in 65% overall but centers ranged from 33% to 92%, and continuous infusion of alkali was used in 75% overall, with a range of 27% to 93% of neonates. Other frequently used treatments included sedation (94%; range: 77%-100%), paralysis (73%; range: 33%-98%), and inotrope administration (84%; range: 46%-100%). Vasodilator drugs, primarily tolazoline, were used in 39% (range: 13%-81%) of neonates. Despite the wide variation in practice, there was no significant difference in mortality among centers. Mortality was 11% (range: 4%-33%). No specific therapy was clearly associated with a reduction in mortality. To determine whether the therapies were equivalent, neonates treated with hyperventilation were compared with those treated with alkali infusion. Hyperventilation reduced the risk of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation without increasing the use of oxygen at 28 days of age. In contrast, the use of alkali infusion was associated with increased use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (odds ratio: 5.03, compared with those treated with hyperventilation) and an increased use of oxygen at 28 days of age. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperventilation and alkali infusion are not equivalent in their outcomes in neonates with PPHN. Randomized trials are needed to evaluate the role of these common therapies.

Longitudinal growth of hospitalized very low birth weight infants.

BACKGROUND: The interpretation of growth rates for very low birth weight infants is obscured by limited data, recent changes in perinatal care, and the uncertain effects of multiple therapies. OBJECTIVES: To develop contemporary postnatal growth curves for very low birth weight preterm infants and to relate growth velocity to birth weight, nutritional practices, fetal growth status (small- or appropriate-for-gestational-age), and major neonatal morbidities (chronic lung disease, nosocomial infection or late-onset infection, severe intraventricular hemorrhage, and necrotizing enterocolitis). DESIGN: Large, multicenter, prospective cohort study. METHODS: Growth was prospectively assessed for 1660 infants with birth weights between 501 to 1500 g admitted by 24 hours of age to 1 of the 12 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network centers between August 31, 1994 and August 9, 1995. Infants were included if they survived >7 days (168 hours) and were free of major congenital anomalies. Anthropometric measures (body weight, length, head circumference, and midarm circumference) were performed from birth until discharge, transfer, death, age 120 days, or a body weight of 2000 g. To obtain representative data, nutritional practices were not altered by the study protocol. RESULTS: Postnatal growth curves suitable for clinical and research use were constructed for body weight, length, head circumference, and midarm circumference. Once birth weight was regained, weight gain (14.4-16.1 g/kg/d) approximated intrauterine rates. However, at hospital discharge, most infants born between 24 and 29 weeks of gestation had not achieved the median birth weight of the reference fetus at the same postmenstrual age. Gestational age, race, and gender had no effect on growth within 100-g birth weight strata. Appropriate-for-gestational age infants who survived to hospital discharge without developing chronic lung disease, severe intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, or late onset-sepsis gained weight faster than comparable infants with those morbidities. More rapid weight gain was also associated with a shorter duration of parenteral nutrition providing at least 75% of the total daily fluid volume, an earlier age at the initiation of enteral feedings, and an earlier age at achievement of full enteral feedings. CONCLUSIONS: These growth curves may be used to better understand postnatal growth, to help identify infants developing illnesses affecting growth, and to aid in the design of future research. They should not be taken as optimal. Randomized clinical trials should be performed to evaluate whether different nutritional management practices will permit birth weight to be regained earlier and result in more rapid growth, more appropriate body composition, and improved short- and long-term outcomes.

Maternal carriage of group B streptococci in developing countries.

BACKGROUND: Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of neonatal sepsis in many industrialized countries, but reports from the developing world infrequently identify this pathogen among newborns with sepsis. Studies of GBS colonization among women living in developing countries were reviewed to determine whether lower colonization rates might account for these findings. METHODS: Literature was reviewed with the use of Medline Express (1980 to 1996) and Abstracts on Tropical Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics (1975 to 1995). The methods of each report were considered adequate if specimens were collected from the vagina and if selective broth media were used. RESULTS: Thirty-four studies reported results of cultures from 7730 women; overall colonization was 12.7%. Among only those studies in which methods were adequate, 17.8% (675 of 3801) women were identified as colonized. Studies with adequate methods found significantly higher colonization rates (relative risk, 2.3; 95% confidence interval, 2.0 to 2.6) than those using inadequate methods. When analysis was restricted to reports with adequate methods, the prevalence of colonization by region was as follows: Middle East/North Africa, 22%; Asia/Pacific, 19%; Sub-Saharan Africa, 19%; India/Pakistan, 12%; and Americas, 14%. CONCLUSION: Although there is significant geographic variation in the proportion of women colonized with GBS, the range of colonization reported from developing countries is similar to that identified in populations studied in the United States. Specimen collection and microbiologic methods are important factors in identification of women colonized with GBS.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in very low birth weight infants: a case-control study.

The perinatal histories and hospital courses of all neonates born at Grady Memorial Hospital who developed Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis or meningitis in the 5-year period 1989-1993 were reviewed. In addition a case-control study was performed to evaluate selected risk factors for this infection. Twenty-one patients had one or more blood cultures positive for P. aeruginosa. An additional patient had P. aeruginosa meningitis without bacteremia. All infections occurred after 5 days of age. The overall incidence of P. aeruginosa infection was 0.7/1000 live births. All cases occurred in infants < 1500 g at birth, for a birth weight-specific rate of 19.5/1000 livebirths in this weight class. Clinical manifestations of disease did not distinguish P. aeruginosa from other causes of fulminant neonatal sepsis. Fifty percent of cases died. Mortality was inversely related to postnatal age at diagnosis. The 22 cases were compared with 44 controls matched for birth weight, gestational age, sex, duration of hospital stay and admission date. Cases were more likely than controls to have a history of feeding intolerance, interrupted enteral intake and prolonged parenteral hyperalimentation. Case infants received intravenous antibiotics for a significantly longer period of time than did controls. There was an association between P. aeruginosa sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis (36% cases vs. 7% of controls had prior or concurrent necrotizing enterocolitis, P < 0.01). In summary P. aeruginosa sepsis is primarily a late onset nosocomial infection in very low birth weight infants. The case fatality rate of 50% in this series emphasizes its continued importance.

Management of asymptomatic, term gestation neonates born to mothers treated with intrapartum antibiotics.

Intrapartum antibiotics are frequently administered to parturient women for suspected chorioamnionitis to treat infection in the mother and to prevent or treat infection in the baby. We sent a questionnaire to the 150 United States fellowship program directors in neonatology and pediatric infectious disease, focusing on recommendations for evaluation and therapy of apparently healthy, pretreated, term gestation infants. Eighty-three (55%) of the completed responses were analyzed. Sixteen (19%) respondents do no initial laboratory evaluation but simply observe the baby, 65 (78%) take a complete blood count as well as a platelet count, 59 (71%) obtain blood cultures, 41 (49%) check urine antigen for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) and 23 (28%) perform a lumbar puncture. Only 39% of respondents would begin antibiotic therapy for all pretreated infants. If the evaluation were unremarkable 65 directors would treat for less than or equal to 3 days. If only the urine GBS antigen were positive 47 would treat for greater than or equal to 7 days, while if an elevated immature neutrophil:total neutrophil ratio were the sole abnormality 19 would treat for greater than or equal to 7 days. Forty-four respondents thought that a combination of an elevated immature neutrophil:total neutrophil ratio and a positive urine GBS antigen should always be considered indicative of bacteremia. Given a different scenario, that of a mother treated with intrapartum antibiotics because of a positive cervical culture for GBS and a risk factor (e.g. temperature greater than or equal to 38 degrees C), 58 respondents would begin antibiotics. There is no consensus regarding management of pretreated, healthy appearing, term gestation neonates.

Effects of undernutrition on infection with Vibrio cholerae O1 and on response to oral cholera vaccine.

The association between undernutrition and the risk of colonization and disease with Vibrio cholerae O1, concentrations of salivary IgA and the serologic response to infection and to orally administered cholera B subunit were examined prospectively in a family study in Bangladesh. Children ages 1 to 8 years who were family contacts of patients hospitalized with culture-confirmed cholera were visited within 24 hours of the hospitalization and daily for 10 days, queried for the presence of diarrhea and cultured for V. cholerae O1. On Day 1 each child was weighed and saliva was collected to measure total IgA. On Days 1 and 21 blood was taken to assess vibriocidal and antitoxin titers, and on Days 1 and 2 B subunit or placebo was given orally as part of a trial to look for a toxin-blocking effect. Of 412 children enrolled in the study 35% (143) became infected with V. cholerae O1 and 49% (70) of these developed diarrhea. Undernutrition, defined in a child as weight less than 70% of the Harvard reference weight-for-age, was not associated with colonization, disease or the duration or severity of cholera. Moreover well-nourished children did not differ from undernourished children in their concentrations of salivary total IgA, initial serum antitoxin or vibriocidal antibodies or in their serologic response to colonization, disease or B subunit. The immune system in its response to cholera appears to be quite resistant to nutritional insults. The good antitoxin response to B subunit among undernourished children is of particular importance in considering the use of future oral cholera vaccines in areas where such undernutrition is common.

Enteric fever in patients admitted to a diarrhoeal disease hospital in Bangladesh.

The hospital records of 62 patients with blood culture-proven enteric fever admitted to the Dacca Hospital of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, over a one-year period were reviewed. Older children and young adults had the highest age-specific rates of disease. The clinical, epidemiological and laboratory features of patients with enteric fever were compared with similar information from patients in hospital for cholera and shigellosis. Patients with enteric fever had a significantly longer prodrome of illness and were more likely to have fever than patients in the other groups. Our hospital cares primarily for patients with diarrhoeal diseases and while 94% of enteric fever patients had diarrhoea, only 5% had the recognized diarrhoeal pathogens Shigella or Vibrio cholerae identified, compared to 25% of the total hospital in-patient group, suggesting that Salmonella typhi itself may be a cause of diarrhoea. Antibiotic resistance patterns of S. typhi isolates were reviewed, and one isolate was found to be multiply antibiotic resistant. The advent of an effective oral typhoid vaccine makes further work on the epidemiology of enteric fever in endemic areas such as Bangladesh a high priority.

Serological evidence for chlamydial infection in patients with acute diarrhoea.

Anti-chlamydial antibodies were detected in 25 of 93 patients with diarrhoea in Bangladesh. This first report of evidence for chlamydial infection in this country should stimulate a search for a causal relationship between chlamydiae and prevalent diseases of Bangladesh.

The prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica in lactating women and in their infants in Bangladesh.

Entamoeba histolytica was studied in 33 lactating women and their infants in a periurban village in Bangladesh. Infant-mother pairs were followed for a period of 10-15 months: 67% of mothers excreted E. histolytica during the observation period, the majority for 3 months or more. Only one mother was symptomatic, with a mild, non-dysenteric diarrhoea. 58% of mothers were seropositive, several of them continuously and with a high titre, indicating past invasive infection. 67% had detectable antibodies in breast milk and 36% in saliva. Despite the high prevalence of E. histolytica in these mothers, infants were mostly uninfected: E. histolytica cysts in small numbers were found in only 2 of 1200 samples from infants aged 6 and 10 months. Several of the children were infected with Giardia lamblia. Although lower exposure to E. histolytica than to Giardia may account for the difference in infant infection rates with these parasites, defence mechanisms possibly exist which protect against E. histolytica but are ineffective against Giardia.

Amoebiasis and giardiasis in Bangladesh: parasitological and serological studies.

To determine the prevalence of infections with Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia in Bangladesh, we screened stool specimens from patients with diarrhoea attending urban (N = 2,246) and a rural (N = 2,791) hospital and a group of healthy urban residents (N = 440). Sera from 200 healthy villagers were also examined for antibody to E. histolytica using the immunofluorescent antibody test. The prevalence of E. histolytica cysts or trophozoites in all groups assessed by examination of a single stool specimen ranged from 0% among infants (less than 1 year) to 34% among healthy adults 30 to 44 years old. G. lamblia was uncommon in infants and found most frequently in urban hospital patients aged five to nine (21%). 12% of one- to two-year-old children had serum antibody to E. histolytica at a titre of 1:40. By age 14 years, 80% of those tested were seropositive, and this prevalence declined thereafter with increasing age. Amoebiasis and giardiasis occur frequently in Bangladeshi populations and the morbidity and mortality associated with these infections need to be assessed.

Sex differences in outcomes of very low birthweight infants: the newborn male disadvantage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the differences in short term outcome of very low birthweight infants attributable to sex. METHODS: Boys and girls weighing 501-1500 g admitted to the 12 centres of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network were compared. Maternal information and perinatal data were collected from hospital records. Infant outcome was recorded at discharge, at 120 days of age if the infant was still in hospital, or at death. Best obstetric estimate based on the last menstrual period, standard obstetric factors, and ultrasound were used to assign gestational age in completed weeks. Data were collected on a cohort that included 3356 boys and 3382 girls, representing all inborn births from 1 May 1991 to 31 December 1993. RESULTS: Mortality for boys was 22% and that for girls 15%. The prenatal and perinatal data indicate few differences between the sex groups, except that boys were less likely to have been exposed to antenatal steroids (odds ratio (OR) = 0.80) and were less stable after birth, as reflected in a higher percentage with lower Apgar scores at one and five minutes and the need for physical and pharmacological assistance. In particular, boys were more likely to have been intubated (OR = 1.16) and to have received resuscitation medication (OR = 1.40). Boys had a higher risk (OR > 1.00) for most adverse neonatal outcomes. Although pulmonary morbidity predominated, intracranial haemorrhage and urinary tract infection were also more common. CONCLUSIONS: Relative differences in short term morbidity and mortality persist between the sexes.