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Biomedical subjects

P G Tuohy

Publications and source records attributed to P G Tuohy.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Soy infant formula and phytoestrogens.

Soy infant formula contains high levels of the isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, which are commonly referred to as phytoestrogens. These are non-steroidal chemicals with structural similarities to estrogen. Infants consuming soy formula have high levels of circulating isoflavones. These are an order of magnitude greater than the levels of isoflavones which have been shown to produce physiological effects in adult women consuming a high soy diet. There is conflicting evidence about the risks and benefits of soy phytoestrogens, with research presenting a contradictory picture. Some reviewers suggest that early exposure to soy may prevent cancer and heart disease. However, there is very little research on the effects of consumption of soy phytoestrogens by human neonates. Against this generally positive view there is an increasing number of recent reports that suggest that in experimental animals, phytoestrogens have adverse effects with respect to carcinogenesis, reproductive function, immune function, and thyroid disease. Despite the absence of adequate scientific research that quantifies the level of risk to infants, most would argue for a precautionary approach to be taken in situations where there are potential developmental effects from the consumption of pharmacologically active compounds in infancy and childhood.

Endocrine Glands↗
PubMed1998

Ethnic differences in parent/infant co-sleeping practices in New Zealand.

AIM: This study was designed to monitor changes in the prevalence of risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in the New Zealand population. The behaviour of interest is parent/infant co-sleeping. This paper reports parent/infant co-sleeping arrangements of different ethnic groups in New Zealand. METHODS: A stratified random sample of 6268 infants attending Plunket clinics for their three and six-month visits was taken over the years 1995-1996. Maori and Pacific infants were oversampled. Parents who shared a bed with their infant were asked how they arranged the babies sleeping place according to pre-coded diagrams. Routine parent/infant co-sleeping was defined as "bed sharing at least four nights over the last two weeks". RESULTS: There were 2693 infants who shared the bed with their sleeping parents during at least one of the previous 14 nights. Of these infants, 1060 routinely shared the parents' bed. At three months, 56% of routinely co-sleeping infants slept directly in the bed, 29% slept in a raised position, 3% slept in a carrycot or basket, and 5% in other positions. At six months, 60% of the routinely co-sleeping infants slept directly in the bed with their parents, 23% slept in a raised position, 1% slept in a carrycot or basket, and 7% in other positions. There were significant differences in the co-sleeping locations by ethnicity. CONCLUSION: There is still some ongoing dispute as to whether parent/infant co-sleeping is a risk factor for SIDS. This study has identified differences in the way infants co-sleep with their parents and this can be used to clarify infant care practices in relation to SIDS.

Bedding and Linens↗
PubMed1997

Risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome following the prevention campaign in New Zealand: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) following a national campaign to prevent SIDS. METHODS: For 2 years (October 1, 1991 through September 30, 1993) data were collected by community child health nurses on all infants born in New Zealand at initial contact and at 2 months. RESULTS: There were 232 SIDS cases in the postneonatal age group (2.0/1000 live births) and these were compared with 1200 randomly selected control subjects. Information was available for 127 cases (54.7%) and 922 (76.8%) of controls. The previously identified modifiable risk factors were examined. The prevalence of prone sleeping position of the infant was very low (0.7% at initial contact and 3. 0% at 2 months), but was still associated with an increased risk of SIDS. In addition, the side sleeping position was also found to have an increased risk of SIDS compared with the supine sleeping position (at 2 months: adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 6.57; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.71, 25.23). Maternal smoking was found to be the major risk factor for SIDS. Bed sharing was also associated with an increased risk of SIDS. There was an interaction between maternal smoking and bed sharing on the risk of SIDS. Compared with infants not exposed to either bed sharing or maternal smoking, the adjusted OR for infants of mothers who smoked was 5.01 (95% CI = 2.01, 12.46) for bed sharing at the initial contact and 5.02 (95% CI = 1.05, 24. 05) for bed sharing at 2 months. In this study breastfeeding was not associated with a statistically significant reduction in the risk of SIDS. The other risk factors for SIDS identified were: unmarried mother, leaving school at a younger age, young mother, greater number of previous pregnancies, late attendance for antenatal care, smoking in pregnancy, male infant, Maori ethnicity, low birth weight, and shorter gestation. CONCLUSIONS: After adjustment for potential confounders, prone and side sleeping positions, maternal smoking, and the joint exposure to bed sharing and maternal smoking were associated with statistically significant increased risk of SIDS. A change from the side to the supine sleeping position could result in a substantial reduction in SIDS. Maternal smoking is common in New Zealand and with the reduction in the prevalence of prone sleeping position is now the major risk factor in this country. However, smoking behavior has been difficult to change. Bed sharing is also a major factor but appears only to be a risk to infants of mothers who smoke. Addressing bed sharing among mothers who smoke could reduce SIDS by at least one third. Breastfeeding did not appear to offer a statistically significant reduction in SIDS risk after adjustment of potential confounders, but as breastfeeding rates are comparatively good in New Zealand, this result should be interpreted with caution as the power of this study to detect a benefit is small.

Beds↗
PubMed1993

The Plunket National Child Health Study: birth defects and sociodemographic factors.

AIMS: The Plunket National Child Health Study was set up to examine the health experience of a representative sample of New Zealand children. This paper examines the association of birth defects with the sociodemographic variables of maternal age and education, parity, socioeconomic group, region of domicile and marital status; infant's ethnic group and sex. The effect of maternal smoking on the prevalence of birth defects was also examined. The paper compares the prevalence of birth defects in infants alive at 6 weeks with the reported prevalence at birth as described in various other publications. METHODS: A cohort of 4286 children born in New Zealand during 1990-1 were enrolled in the study. The presence of birth defects in the study population was determined by clinical examination and review of hospital or midwife referrals. All described defects were reviewed and coded according to the ICD-9. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of birth defects in the study was 4.3%. There was a significant association between socioeconomic status and the incidence of birth defect but no other significant sociodemographic variations. Cigarette smoking had no statistically significant effect on the rate of birth defects. There was a marked difference between the rates for certain defects in the Plunket study when compared to Health Department notifications. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the differences between the current study and official Health Department notifications we suggest that criteria for congenital anomaly notification are clarified, and that a second notification takes place at six weeks of age.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Sociodemographic factors associated with sleeping position and location.

Recent research has implicated infant sleeping body position and bed sharing as risk factors in the sudden infant death syndrome. The sociodemographic associations of infant sleeping body position and location were examined in this study. This showed that the majority (86.4%) of New Zealand parents now place their infants to sleep on their sides. The remainder place their infants supine (1.3%), prone (4.8%), or no particular way (7.5%). In the waking position, 57.9% were usually found on their sides, 18.2% supine, and 6.1% prone. Infant sleeping position showed marked sociodemographic variability. These findings are a marked contrast to previous New Zealand studies which showed a reversed pattern, with most infants put to sleep prone. There were also highly significant sociodemographic differences in the place of sleeping. Overall 12.2% of infants shared a bed, with infants of younger less well educated mothers who were of non-European origin, with a parity of five or more, or unmarried significantly more likely to do so. Infants of unemployed and lower socioeconomic group (Elley-Irving groups 5 and 6) fathers were also more likely to share a parental bed.

Beds↗
PubMed1990

The overnight thermal environment of infants.

Thirty healthy infants between nine and 19 weeks each had skin and room temperature monitored continuously for a single night. A simultaneous assessment of the insulating quality of the infants bedding was made. The maximum infant skin temperature noted was 37.4 degrees C, the room temperatures ranged from 10.9 degrees C to 26.2 degrees C over all study infants. The insulation score ranged from 17 to 68, with the mean 33 (SD, 13). There was a highly significant correlation between insulation score and maximum infant temperature. A significant inverse correlation between insulation score and outside temperature was noted, but not between insulation score and room temperature. These findings indicate that some infants are inappropriately overdressed for their environmental temperature.

Bedding and Linens↗
PubMed1984

Cleft palate and gonadotrophin deficiency.

A boy who had previously had a cleft lip and palate repaired and bilateral orchiopexies presented at 16 years of age with delayed puberty. Isolated gonadotrophin deficiency and testicular hyporesponsiveness to human chorionic gonadotrophin were found. The possibility of bilateral cryptorchidism due to gonadotrophin deficiency should be considered in boys with either cleft lip or palate, or both.

Adolescent↗