[The partial parenteral nutrition of preterm infants with a body weight < 1000 g: the effects of an infusion of human albumin on plasma amino acid concentration]. / Nutrizione parenterale parziale di neonati pre-termine di peso corporeo < 1000 g: effetti della infusione di albumina umana sulla concentrazione plasmatica di aminoacidi.

This paper concerns with the changes of plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations of N. 10 ELBW infants receiving a regimen of partial parenteral nutrition including human serum albumin (HSA) as a protein supply. The plasma AA concentration has been compared with VLBW infants orally fed with human milk (HM) or human milk supplemented with human milk protein (HMP). As for the essential AA: in comparison to VLBW infants fed HM, the plasma concentration of VAL, PHE and LYS is significantly higher, that of THR, MET, LEU and HIS is similar, whereas that of ILE is significantly lower; in comparison to VLBW infants fed HMP, with the exception of PHE whose plasma concentration is higher, concentration of essential AA significantly lower; the percentage ratio between plasma concentration and intake is in the range of 1,4 to 3,3, except for LYS (= 0.83), indicating a good efficacy of the i.v. administered HSA as AA source, or a slow plasma clearance or a sustained flux of AA from body protein catabolism. Further researches are needed to investigate these aspects and the intermediate steps between i.v. infusion of HSA and the utilization of the component AA for body protein synthesis.

Milk protein quality in low birth weight infants: effects of protein-fortified human milk and formulas with three different whey-to-casein ratios on growth and plasma amino acid profiles.

Growth rates (weight, length, and head circumference) and selected biochemical indexes of protein metabolism (serum urea, acid-base status, and plasma amino acid concentrations) were determined in low birth weight (LBW) infants appropriate for gestational age (birth weight less than 1,650 g) fed three formulas differing only in the whey-to-casein ratios: 60/40, 50/50, and 35/65. A group of infants fed exclusively human milk protein (HMP)-fortified human milk was used as a control. All diets provided similar daily protein and energy intakes, which were 3.5 g/kg and 122 kcal/kg in the human milk-fed infants and 3.3 g/kg and 121 kcal/kg in the formula-fed infants. Neither weight gain nor rate of growth in length and head circumference differed between the feeding groups and reached intrauterine or better rates in all groups. Values for serum urea and acid-base status were normal and also did not differ among the groups. At the end of the study, plasma threonine concentrations were significantly higher in all formula-fed infants than in the infants fed human milk. The highest plasma threonine concentration was found in the infants receiving the whey-predominant formula. Plasma concentrations of valine, methionine, and phenylalanine were also significantly higher in all formula-fed groups when compared with the human milk group. Plasma total essential amino acid concentrations were also significantly higher in the formula-fed infants than in the human milk fed. The results show that protein quality does not affect growth rate or biochemical indexes of metabolic tolerance in LBW infants fed adequate protein and energy intakes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[A morphologic study of extrapulmonary multisystemic lesions in neonatal respiratory syndrome]. / Studio morfologico delle lesioni multisistemiche extrapolmonari nella sindrome respiratoria neonatale.

Extra-pulmonary multisystemic lesions in respiratory syndrome of infants. A morphological study. This paper concerns the description of extra-pulmonary multisystemic lesions in 40 infants died because of "Respiratory Distress Syndrome". In infants with intra-cranial hemorrhage the association with cardiac infarct lesions makes possible a cause-effect relationship mediated by hypovolemic phenomena and/or by catecholamine activity.

The use of intravenous gamma-globulin for prevention of sepsis in pre-term infants. A controlled clinical trial.

This paper reports a randomized clinical trial to study the effect of an intravenous gamma-globulin preparation to prevent sepsis in pre-term newborn infants. 80 infants were enrolled: 37 of birthweight less than or equal to 1500 g and 43 of birthweight 1501-2000 g. In each group 20 infants received an intravenous preparation of gamma-globulin (0.5 g/kg/wk); the remaining 17 and 20, respectively, served as control cases. No significant differences in the occurrence of sepsis were observed between the group receiving prophylactively intravenous gamma-globulin and the control group. This is particularly evident in infants under intensive care (35% of the total population): in this group 2/3 of sepsis occurred in infants who received IgG. Among the infants with sepsis, the presence of an umbilical artery catheterization represented a significant risk-factor. The post-dose increment of serum IgG did not differ significantly in infants with and without sepsis; the post-dose serum disappearance rate in concentration appears identical in the two groups.

[Analysis of infantile and perinatal mortality and demographic indices in Sicily and Palermo from 1860 to 1979]. / Analisi della mortalità infantile e perinatale e di alcuni indici demografici in Sicilia ed a Palermo dal 1860 al 1978.

PIP: On the basis of available vital statistics, certain features about infant, neonatal, and perinatal mortality together with some demographic items in Sicily and Palermo since 1860 are presented. Apart from the 2 peaks during the 2 world wars, the general trend is toward a reduction with different rates. In general, a decline in infant mortality is at some advantage relative to neonatal mortality, as the contribution of the latter to infant mortality is increasing. During the last 10 years, the decline of both infant and perinatal mortality is rather fast compared to previous years. The population of Sicily and Palermo are increasing and the startum 0-15 years appears rather stable, while both birth rate and fertility rate greater than 30 years are declining. The possible implications of socioeconomic, biological, and medical factors are discussed. (author's)^ieng

Gel filtration of hyperbilirubinemic sera through Sephadex G-25 and Sephadex LH-20 for the detection of 'free' non-albumin-bound unconjugated bilirubin.

Hyperbilirubinemic model sera with different bilirubin/albumin (Br/Alb) molar ratio, containing unconjugated bilirubin only, and containing various fractions of conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin, were simultaneously run through small columns packed with Sephadex G-25 and Sephadex LH-20. The bilirubin adsorbed by the gel was detected by a diazo-reagent and also recovered with chloroform. The amount of bilirubin adsorbed by the gel was higher using the Sephadex LH-20 when sera containing unconjugated bilirubin were tested. In case of sera containing also conjugated pigment, the bilirubin adsorbed by the two gels was the same at a Br/Alb molar ratio equal to or below 0.89; above this level the bilirubin adsorbed by the Sephadex LH-20 was higher. But with reference to the concentration of the unconjugated bilirubin the chloroform-recovered bilirubin was in greater amount than expected if unconjugated bilirubin were considered in the tested sera. The possible implication of the role played by the conjugated fraction is discussed in relation also to the clinical application of the gel filtration technique.