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Biomedical subjects

L J Grylack

Publications and source records attributed to L J Grylack.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Apparent life-threatening events in presumed healthy neonates during the first three days of life.

OBJECTIVE: To study the historical, clinical and pneumographic correlates of apparent life-threatening events (ALTEs) in a term newborn nursery population during the first 3 days of life in a maternity hospital. METHODS: Twenty newborns with ALTEs during the first 3 days of life were studied. Family, antenatal, and intrapartum histories were reviewed. Diagnostic and therapeutic data surrounding the ALTEs were documented. Multichannel recordings performed after the ALTEs occurred were analyzed. Hospital discharge dispositions and postdischarge outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: Of approximately 15 000 deliveries during a three-year period, 20 infants had ALTEs. Apnea was the most common presenting symptom, and cyanosis usually accompanied the event. Tactile stimulation and oxygen were the most frequent acute treatments, with airway clearance, intermittent positive pressure ventilation, and cardiac massage less common. Forty percent of the events had potentially identifiable causes, including central nervous system abnormality, airway obstruction, or a persistent fetal cardiovascular shunt. Of the initial nultichannel recordings, 11 had desaturation oor less the 85%, 10 had apneic pauses of greater than 15 seconds, and 4 had bradycardia of less than 80 beats per minute. Eighteen infants were discharged and received home monitors; 4 received medication. ALTEs recurred in 4 infants before discharge and in 1 after discharge. No deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS: (1) ALTEs do occur in the early newborn period in a low-risk term group; (2) causes are unknown in the majority of cases; (3) multichannel recordings may have abnormalities; and (4) the likelihood of recurrent ALTEs is greater during the first week than during the next 2 months.

Age Factors↗

Dexamethasone therapy for chronic lung disease in ventilator- and oxygen-dependent infants: a controlled trial.

To determine whether dexamethasone therapy altered the outcome of chronic lung disease in neonates, we conducted a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Twenty-one 30-day-old oxygen- and ventilator-dependent infants were enrolled. The mean (+/- SD) birth weight was 808.1 +/- 141 gm and the mean gestational age was 26.0 +/- 1.5 weeks. There were 17 black and 12 male infants. Twelve received placebo and nine received dexamethasone. Neither severity of early illness, birth weight, gestational age, age when treated, gender and race distribution, nor frequency of diuretic therapy differed significantly between groups. The age at extubation, 57.2 days (placebo) versus 39.4 days (steroid), was significantly different. The average oxygen requirements of the steroid-treated patients was significantly lower than for placebo-treated patients during the first 10 days of treatment. There were no differences for placebo-versus steroid-treated patients in age when weaned to room air (95.5 days vs 74.9 days), age at discharge (119 days vs 111 days), or number of deaths (2 (17%) vs 1 (11%]. Dexamethasone therapy was associated with a significantly increased incidence of hyperglycemia (89% vs 8%) but did not influence the incidence of hypertension, intracranial hemorrhage, infection, or retinopathy of prematurity. The steroid-treated patients had a significant delay in weight gain during the first 3 weeks of treatment but recovered by discharge. Our results suggest that dexamethasone produces acute improvement in infants with lung disease but no long-term effect on mortality rate, duration of oxygen requirement or age at discharge.

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia↗

Gastric lipolysis and fat absorption in preterm infants: effect of medium-chain triglyceride or long-chain triglyceride-containing formulas.

The extent of gastric lipolysis, fat absorption, and infant weight gain was studied in 12 preterm infants (gestational age 28.75 +/- 0.50 weeks, postnatal age 6.08 +/- 0.81 weeks) fed medium-chain triglyceride or long-chain triglyceride formula for 1 week in a crossover design. The former formula contained 42% of 8:0 and 10:0 and 19% of 12:0, 14:0, and 16:0; the latter formula contained only 7% of 8:0 and 10:0 and 46% of 12:0, 14:0, and 16:0. Gastric aspirates were obtained on the second and third day of formula feeding for quantitation of lipase activity and of the extent of gastric lipolysis. Fat balance studies were conducted during the last three days of each feeding regimen. The study showed that (1) there was marked hydrolysis of formula fat in the stomach during feeding of either medium-chain triglyceride formula or long-chain triglyceride formula (20% and 16%, respectively); (2) lipase activity in the gastric aspirates was less during feeding of medium-chain triglyceride formula than before the meal, which suggested stimulation of lipase secretion by long-chain fatty acid released from long-chain triglyceride formula fat or more rapid binding of lipase to ingested lipid in the medium-chain triglyceride formula; (3) fatty acid distribution in glycerides and free fatty acids showed preferential release of medium-chain (8:0, 10:0) and long-chain unsaturated (18:1, 18:2) fatty acids in the stomach. The low content of 8:0 and 10:0 in gastric triglyceride and free fatty acids suggested that medium-chain fatty acids were absorbed directly in the stomach.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Body Weight↗

Use of intravenous fluids before cesarean section: effects on perinatal glucose, insulin, and sodium homeostasis.

Perinatal glucose, insulin, and sodium homeostases were assessed in relation to antepartum intravenous infusions administered to 59 normal mothers undergoing cesarean section at term without labor under epidural anesthesia. Group A (N = 20) received 1 L of Ringer's lactate without dextrose during one hour; group B (N = 20), 1 L of 5% dextrose in water during one hour; and group C (N = 19), 1 L of 5% dextrose in water during two and one half hours. Mean maternal and fetal serum glucose and insulin and sodium concentrations at delivery differed among all groups in direct relationship to the rate of glucose infusion. Neonatal hypoglycemia (30 mg/dL or less) correlated with the presence of a glucose infusion, a maternal glucose concentration of 117 mg/dL or greater, and an umbilical venous insulin concentration of 26 microU/mL or greater. Among group A patients who received sodium, and group B and C patients who did not, fetal hyponatremia (umbilical venous sodium 130 mEq/L or less) correlated with the absence of sodium in the prepartum infusion. The results suggest that the antepartum administration of a balanced electrolyte solution without excess glucose infusion can minimize the incidence of fetal hyperglycemia and hyponatremia and neonatal hypoglycemia.

Blood Glucose↗

Effects of intrapartum maternal glucose infusion on the normal fetus and newborn.

The effect of maternal intravenous glucose infusion on the newborn's glucose, insulin, and neurobehavioral performance was studied prospectively in 56 normal mother-newborn pairs. Maternal blood glucose levels at the time of delivery, umbilical venous blood glucose and insulin levels, and neonatal blood glucose levels were measured. Neurobehavioral assessment of the newborns was performed at 4 and 24 hours of life. The median value for total amount of glucose infused to the mother was 32.5 g, the median rate of glucose infusion was 8 g/h, and the median maternal blood glucose concentration at delivery was 110 mg/dl. Median umbilical venous blood glucose concentrations were 104 mg/dl and median insulin concentration was 15 microunits/ml. Six babies were hypoglycemic at 1 hour of age. Umbilical venous glucose and insulin levels correlated significantly (p less than 0.001) with the rate of glucose infusion to the mother and her blood glucose level. The incidence of neonatal hypoglycemia was significantly related (p less than 0.05) to a maternal blood glucose level greater than 120 mg/dl, to a glucose infusion rate of 20 g/hr or greater and to an umbilical venous insulin level of greater than 40 microunits/ml. There were no major differences in neurobehavior that distinguished hypoglycemic neonates. It is recommended that the normal parturient be given less than 20 g/hr of intravenous glucose before delivery and have a blood glucose level less than 120 mg/dl at the time of delivery. Newborns delivered to mothers with hyperglycemia or excessive glucose infusion should be tested for hypoglycemia at 1 and 2 hours of age.

Behavior↗

Oral gentamicin therapy in the prevention of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. A controlled double-blind trial.

The value of prophylactic oral gentamicin sulfate therapy in the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was evaluated in a group of 42 high-risk neonates over a four-month period in a randomized, double-blind controlled trial. Twenty babies in the treatment group received 2.5 mg/kg of gentamicin sulfate every six hours for one week after birth, and 22 babies received dextrose-and-water placebo in an equivalently small volume. None of the 20 gentamicin-treated babies developed NEC. Four of the control babies did. Two of these babies died, and their diagnosis was pathologically confirmed. This difference in the incidence of NEC between the treatment and control group was significant at the .05 level. These results support the prophylactic use of orally given gentamicin for selected babies at high risk for NEC, particularly those born prematurely and those who have a history of perinatal asphyxia or umbilical artery catheterization or both. Continued surveillance for changes in antimicrobial sensitivity patterns is recommended.

Administration, Oral↗

Placement of umbilical artery catheters: high vs. low.

Placement of umbilical artery catheters was retrospectively reviewed in 181 newborns to evaluate random placement of catheter tip in the "high" position between T7 and T9 in the thoracic aorta of 127 infants and in the "low" position below L3 in the abdominal aorta of 54 infants. Group differences in gestational age, asphyxia, hypotension, respiratory disease, duration of catheterization, or infusate type were not significant. Cyanosis or blanching in the low extremities occurred in 67% of the "low" group and 21% of the "high" group (P less than .001). Hematuria occurred in 39% of the "low" group and 21% of the "high" group (P less than .05). High placement appears to have fewer complications. Prompt intervention by neonatal nurse practitioners can help reverse complications that occur during umbilical artery catheterizations.

Catheterization↗

Hyperalimentation-associated neonatal cholestasis: effect of oral gentamicin.

The effect of oral gentamicin on the incidence of parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis in preterm infants less than 1500 g birth weight was assessed retrospectively. Of 24 patients on parenteral nutrition for more than 10 days, 12 infants who received oral gentamicin (group I) for prophylaxis against neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis were compared to 12 infants who did not (group II). Both mean and peak direct bilirubin levels were significantly higher in group II. The increase in both mean and peak direct bilirubin levels after initiation of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) was significant in group II only. The incidence of cholestasis was significantly higher in group II than in group I. These results suggest that oral gentamicin may have a protective effect against parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis in the newborn preterm infant.

Cholestasis↗