Thyroid function in healthy and unhealthy preterm newborns.

BACKGROUND: The thyroid gland and hormonal regulation are among the most important systems to be investigated in pre-term infants. This study sought to investigate thyroid hormone levels of healthy and unhealthy pre-term infants. METHODS: The prospective study included 53 consecutive premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit within a duration of one year. Of these preterm babies, 20 were healthy, while 33 had problems such as asphyxia or RDS. Venous blood samples were collected at baseline 0-24 hours, 7 and 14 days and FT3, FT4, and TSH levels were determined. Other data recorded included demographic characteristics of the patients and clinical variables. RESULTS: The most frequent health problems were RDS (87.9%), sepsis (30.3%), and retinopathy of prematurity (24.2%). The mean TSH levels showed a consistent decline at three consequent measurements in both groups, which were always significantly lower in unhealthy pre-terms. In both groups, TSH levels showed significant decreases on Day 7 and Day 14 compared to the baseline levels (p<005). The levels of FT3 and FT4 consistently showed significant correlations with gestational week and birth weight at each of the three measurements. CONCLUSION: Pre-term infants, especially those having problems, have significant hypothyroxinemia that may require thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

Evaluation of pulmonary functions in preschool children born late-preterm.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the pulmonary functions of preschool children born late-preterm. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Children aged between 3-7 years who were born at 340/7-366/7 weeks' gestation represented the target sample. Patients with a diagnosis of congenital cardiac, pulmonary and/or muscle diseases were excluded. Respiratory symptoms were evaluated using the modified asthma predictive index and International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood criteria for children aged under and over 6 years, respectively. Skin prick tests were performed. Age-matched healthy controls were chosen according to the criteria proposed by the American Thoracic Society. Lung functions were evaluated using impulse oscillometry study in both groups. Data were recorded in the SPSS program. RESULTS: A total of 139 late-preterms and 75 healthy controls participated in the study. The mean gestational week of the late-preterms was 35.3±0.9 weeks. The main admission diagnosis to neonatal intensive care unit was respiratory distress. In the postdischarge period, 54.1% were hospitalized for pulmonary infections at least once, and 57.8% were passive smoking currently. Aeroallergen sensitivity was detected as 25.8% in the late-preterm group; 34.5% and 15.1% were diagnosed as having asthma and non-asthmatic atopy, respectively. Impulse oscillometry study parameters of R5, R10, and Z5 were higher and X10 and X15 were lower in late-preterms than in controls (p<0.05). Late-preterms with and without respiratory distress in the postnatal period revealed no statistical differences for any parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that presence of increased peripheral airway resistance in late-preterms as compared to term-born controls.

Evaluation of lung function on impulse oscillometry in preschool children born late preterm.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of data on lung physiology in late-preterm children, who may be exposed to a risk of decline in lung function during childhood. In this study, we evaluated lung function in preschool children born late preterm using impulse oscillometry (IOS), and compared the results with those obtained in healthy term-born children. METHODS: Children between 3 and 7 years of age who were born late preterm and who were being followed up at the outpatient clinic were included as the late-preterm group. Age-matched healthy term-born children served as controls. A total of 90 late-preterm and 75 healthy children were included in the study. At 5-20 Hz, resistance (R5-R20), reactance (X5-X20), impedans (Z5) and resonant frequency were measured on IOS. RESULTS: Mean IOS R5 and R10 were significantly higher in the late-preterm group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Mean R5, R10 and Z5 were statistically higher in late-preterm children who had been hospitalized for pulmonary infection compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Mean R5, R10, R15, R20 and Z5 were significantly higher, and mean X10 and X15 significantly lower in late-preterm children with passive smoking compared with late-preterm children without passive smoking and controls (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Children born late preterm had signs of peripheral airway obstruction on IOS-based comparison with healthy term-born controls. Besides the inherent disadvantages of premature birth, hospitalization for pulmonary infection and passive smoking also seemed to adversely affect lung function in children born late preterm.

Is Hyperpigmentation on the First Day of Life Always Associated with IMAGe Syndrome?

IMAGe syndrome is an exceedingly rare condition first described in 1999. Components of the syndrome are intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), metaphyseal dysplasia, congenital adrenal hypoplasia and genital anomalies. Cases generally present with life-threatening adrenal insufficiency in the neonatal period. Herein, we describe a patient with pronounced IUGR diagnosed with severe hyperpigmentation and adrenal insufficiency in the neonatal term in order to attract the attention to this rare entity.

Arachnoid cysts in childhood with endocrinological outcomes.

Arachnoid cysts are mainly manifested with the consequent neurological disorders. Even though these cysts may interfere in many systems due to their localizations, there is little information concerning their involvement in endocrinological disorders. We emphasize endocrinological functions together with cyst localizations and neurological disorders in childhood. A total of 50 patients diagnosed with arachnoid cysts were screened for cyst localizations, neurological symptoms and endocrinological outcomes evaluated by pubertal and growth status and hypothalamopituitary insufficiency. We investigated the interactions of these parameters. Arachnoid cysts were localized mostly in the middle fossa (54%) and posterior fossa (26%). Middle fossa cysts had a strong predilection for male gender (66.7% male) and left hemispheric dominancy (77%). We detected growth hormone deficiency in six patients, obesity in six patients and central precocious puberty in one patient; cysts were in the temporal area in three of the obese cases. All patients in our study had normal levels of cortisol, thyroid hormones and prolactin. In pediatric patients with arachnoid cysts, endocrinological follow-up is crucial as neurological outcomes and further evaluations are needed, mainly to confirm pubertal and growth status.