Characterization of newborns with nonimmune hydrops fetalis admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit

PURPOSE: To determine the incidence and characteristics of nonimmune hydrops fetalis in the newborn population. METHOD: A retrospective study of the period between 1996 and 2000, including all newborns with a prenatal or early neonatal diagnosis of nonimmune hydrops fetalis, based on clinical history, physical examination, and laboratory evaluation. The following were analyzed: prenatal follow-up, delivery type, gender, birth weight, gestational age, presence of perinatal asphyxia, nutritional classification, etiopathic diagnosis, length of hospital stay, mortality, and age at death. RESULTS: A total of 47 newborns with hydrops fetalis (0.42% of live births), 18 (38.3%) with the immune form and 29 (61.7%) with the nonimmune form, were selected for study. The incidence of nonimmune hydrops fetalis was 1 per 414 neonates. Data was obtained from 21 newborns, with the following characteristics: 19 (90.5%) were suspected from prenatal diagnosis, 18 (85.7%) were born by cesarean delivery, 15 (71.4%) were female, and 10 (47.6%) were asphyxiated. The average weight was 2665.9 g, and the average gestational age was 35 3/7 weeks; 14 (66.6%) were preterm; 18 (85.0 %) appropriate delivery time; and 3 (14.3%) were large for gestational age. The etiopathic diagnosis was determined for 62%, which included cardiovascular (19.0%), infectious (9.5%), placental (4.8%), hematologic (4.7%), genitourinary (4.8%), and tumoral causes (4.8%), and there was a combination of causes in 9.5%. The etiology was classified as idiopathic in 38%. The length of hospital stay was 26.6 ± 23.6 days, and the mortality rate was 52.4%. CONCLUSIONS: The establishment of a suitable etiopathic diagnosis associated with prenatal detection of nonimmune hydrops fetalis can be an important step in reducing the neonatal mortality rate from this condition.

Indicações clínico-epidemiológicas para investigação ecocardiográfica no período neonatal. Valor dos grupos de risco

OBJETIVO: Estudo ecocardiográfico em recém-nascidos (RN) de grupos de risco para cardiopatia congênita, a fim de se determinar a prevalência que justifique esse exame no período neonatal. MÉTODOS: Estudaram-se, de novembro/91 a abril/93, 156 RN do berçário anexo à Maternidade do HC-FMUSP, sendo RN de mães com cardiopatia congênita ou com diabetes mellitus, crianças de muito baixo peso, com malformações extracardíacas ou presença de sinais cardíacos, caracterizados por sopro, cianose ou arritmia, todos submetidos ao ecocardiograma. RESULTADOS: A prevalência encontrada foi de 21,8%, superior ao da população geral (0,8 a 1,2%), sendo que a maior entre os grupos, de 40,7%, ocorreu no grupo de malformações extracardíacas. CONCLUSÃO: Nossos dados justificam a realização de ecocardiograma em RN pertencentes a um destes grupos de risco para cardiopatia congênita.

Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale: a psychometric study in a Portuguese sample

Background: The Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS, Brazelton & Nugent, 1995) is an instrument conceived to observe the neonatal neurobehavior. Data analysis is usually performed by organizing items into groups. The most widely used data reduction for the NBAS was developed by Lester, Als, and Brazelton (1982). Objective: Examine the psychometric properties of the NBAS items in a sample of 213 Portuguese infants. Method: The NBAS was performed in the first week of infant life (3 days±2) and in the seventh week of life (52 days±5). Results: Principal component analyses yielded a solution of four components explaining 55.13% of total variance. Construct validity was supported by better neurobehavioral performance of 7-week-old infants compared with 1-week-old infants. Conclusion: Changes in the NBAS structure for the Portuguese sample are suggested compared to Lester factors in order to reach better internal consistency of the scale.

Comorbid depression and anxiety effects on pregnancy and neonatal outcome

The effects of comorbid depression and anxiety were compared to the effects of depression alone and anxiety alone on pregnancy mood states and biochemistry and on neonatal outcomes in a large multi-ethnic sample. At the prenatal period the comorbid and depressed groups had higher scores than the other groups on the depression measure. But, the comorbid group had higher anxiety, anger and daily hassles scores than the other groups, and they had lower dopamine levels. As compared to the non-depressed group, they also reported more sleep disturbances and relationship problems. The comorbid group also experienced a greater incidence of prematurity than the depressed, the high anxiety and the non-depressed groups. Although the comorbid and anxiety groups were lower birthweight than the non-depressed and depressed groups, the comorbid group did not differ from the depressed and anxiety groups on birth length. The neonates of the comorbid and depressed groups had higher cortisol and norepinephrine and lower dopamine and serotonin levels than the neonates of the anxiety and non-depressed groups as well as greater relative right frontal EEG. These data suggest that for some measures comorbidity of depression and anxiety is the worst condition (e.g., incidence of prematurity), while for others, comorbidity is no more impactful than depression alone.

Prenatal dopamine and neonatal behavior and biochemistry

Depressed pregnant women (N=126) were divided into high and low prenatal maternal dopamine (HVA) groups based on a tertile split on their dopamine levels at 20 weeks gestation. The high versus the low dopamine group had lower Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) scores, higher norepinephrine levels at the 20-week gestational age visit and higher dopamine and serotonin levels at both the 20- and the 32-week gestational age visits. The neonates of the mothers with high versus low prenatal dopamine levels also had higher dopamine and serotonin levels as well as lower cortisol levels. Finally, the neonates in the high dopamine group had better autonomic stability and excitability scores on the Brazelton Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale. Thus, prenatal maternal dopamine levels appear to be negatively related to prenatal depression scores and positively related to neonatal dopamine and behavioral regulation, although these effects are confounded by elevated serotonin levels.

Prenatal serotonin and neonatal outcome: brief report

The purpose of the present study was to determine the relationships between prenatal serotonin levels and other biochemical values during pregnancy as well as their relationships to neonatal biochemical and behavioral variables. To address that question, the pregnant women were divided into the top and bottom tertiles based on their serotonin levels at 20 weeks gestational age.

Chronic prenatal depression and neonatal outcome

Four hundred and thirty pregnant women were recruited at approximately 22 weeks gestation at prenatal clinics. Of these, 86 (20%) were diagnosed as depressed. The women were seen again at approximately 32 weeks gestation and after delivery. Chronicity of depression was evidenced by continuing high depression scores in those women diagnosed as depressed. Comorbid problems were chronically high anxiety, anger, sleep disturbance, and pain scores. Less optimal outcomes for the depressed women included lower gestational age and lower birthweight of their newborns.

Estratégia cirúrgica na transposição das grandes artérias com septo interventricular intacto após o período neonatal

OBJETIVO: Analisar o resultado cirúrgico em portadores de transposição das grandes artérias com septo interventricular intacto, operados após o período neonatal. MÉTODOS: Entre janeiro de 1998 e março de 2004 foram atendidas 121 crianças com transposição das grandes artérias com septo interventricular intacto, sendo 29 (24%) após o período neonatal. A seleção para tratamento cirúrgico foi baseada na avaliação ecocardiográfica pelo cálculo da massa do ventrículo esquerdo e da configuração do septo interventricular. Das 29 crianças, 12 foram selecionadas para correção anatômica primária, 12 para correção em dois estágios, após preparo cirúrgico do ventrículo esquerdo e 5 submetidas a correção atrial. RESULTADOS: No grupo submetido à correção anatômica primária houve 1 (8,3%) óbito hospitalar por sepsis. No grupo de correção em dois estágios, 5 pacientes foram submetidos ao preparo lento, com correção 3-6 meses após o 1º estágio, ocorrendo 4 óbitos após o 1º estágio. Este fato determinou mudança no nosso protocolo, adotando-se a técnica de preparo rápido nos outros 7 pacientes, tendo todos atingido o 2º estágio. Das 8 crianças submetidas ao 2º estágio houve 1 óbito hospitalar e outro óbito tardio. A evolução clínica tardia das crianças de ambos os grupos é excelente. CONCLUSÃO: A seleção ecocardiográfica adequada da transposição de grandes artérias com septo interventricular intacto quando abordada após o período neonatal, permitiu uma orientação segura da escolha da melhor abordagem cirúrgica nestes pacientes.

Atriosseptostomia por cateter balão guiada pela ecocardiografia em unidade de terapia intensiva neonatal

FUNDAMENTO: A ecocardiografia bidimensional à beira do leito tem sido utilizada com sucesso para guiar a atriosseptostomia com cateter balão, agilizando o procedimento e evitando os riscos do transporte para o laboratório de hemodinâmica. OBJETIVO: Avaliar os resultados da atriosseptostomia com cateter balão à beira do leito em neonatos cianóticos. MÉTODOS: Entre jan/1997 e jul/2008, foram realizados 102 procedimentos de atriosseptostomia com cateter balão guiados pela ecocardiografia, sendo avaliados níveis de saturação, diâmetro da comunicação, saturação de oxigênio, resposta clínico-laboratorial e complicações relacionadas ao procedimento. RESULTADOS: De um total de 102 casos de Rashkind realizados à beira do leito, 98 preencheram os critérios de inclusão, sendo 90 neonatos do Grupo A (procedimento de Rashkind em fase pré-operatória) e 8 do Grupo B (procedimento em fase pós-operatória). Houve predomínio do sexo masculino (75%), a idade média foi de 8,3 ± 9,3 dias, o peso médio foi de 3.100 ± 1.100 g e a transposição das grandes artérias foi a cardiopatia congênita mais frequente (n = 74). Comparando-se os valores das saturações pré e pós-procedimento (65,9 ± 19,5% e 86 ± 9,7%) e o diâmetro da comunicação interatrial pré e pós-procedimento (2,3 ± 1,0 mm e 5,5 ± 1,3 mm) houve diferença estatisticamente significativa (p < 0,001). Comparando-se os valores das saturações e o diâmetro da comunicação interatrial nos grupos de sobreviventes e não sobreviventes não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa (p > 0,05). CONCLUSÃO: A atriosseptostomia com cateter guiada pela ecocardiografia reduz os riscos por possibilitar a efetiva paliação sem perda de tempo em neonatos cianóticos, além de apresentar menores custos hospitalares.

impact of prenatal stress and neonatal handling on the neuronal development of the rodent limbic system

Prenatal stress, rodent, limbic system, neuronal development, dendritic spines, sex difference

Glia going emotional : the impact of acute and repeated neonatal separations on astrocytes in the medial prefrontal cortex

Astrocytes, GFAP, glia, neonatal separation, medial prefrontal cortex, S100ß

Estudo da patogenicidade para camundongos recém-nascidos de amostras de echovirus tipo 9 isoladas de casos de meningite durante um surto epidêmico no Rio de Janeiro

A patogenicidade do echovirus tipo 9 para camundongos recém-nascidos foi estudada, utilizando-se 12 amostras isoladas em cultura de células primárias de rim de macaco, a partir do liquor de crianças com meningite. Os animais inoculados com o fluido da primeira passagem em células desenvolveram paralisia flácida, após um período de 5 dias, com a morte ate o 8º dia. Os especimens originais de liquor não continham suficiente vírus para provocar sinais clínicos nos animais inoculados no período de 21 dias de observação. Ao exame histopatológico os animais doentes apresentaram miopatia necrotizante da musculatura paravertebral, língua e diafragma. Animais inoculados que não desenvolveram paralisia durante o período de observação apresentaram miosite discreta, sem que tenha sido encontrada necrose das fibras musculares.

Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the opossum Didelphis marsupialis: absence of neonatal transmission and protection by maternal antibodies in experimental infections

The high rate of natural Trypanosoma cruzi infection found in opossums does not always correlate with appreciable densities of local triatomid populations. One alternative method which might bypass the invertebrate vector is direct transmission from mother to offspring. This possibility was investigated in five T. cruzi infected females and their litters (24 young). The influence of maternal antibodies transferred via lactation, on the course of experimental infection, was also examined. Our results show that neonatal transmission is probably not responsible for the high rate of natural T. cruzi infection among opossums. In addition antibodies of maternal origin confer a partial protection to the young. This was demonstrated by the finding of a double prepatency period and 4,5 fold lower levels of circulating parasites, in experimentally infected pouch young from infected as compared to control uninfected mothes. On the other hand, the duration of patent parasitemia was twice as long as that observed in the control group.