A Comparison between Late Preterm and Term Infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Early-Onset Sepsis, and Neonatal Jaundice in Ecuadorian Newborns

Background: To examine the differences in prevalence of respiratory distress syndrome, early-onset sepsis and jaundice, between late preterm infants versus term infants in Ecuadorian newborns. Methods: Study design: Epidemiological, observational, and cross-sectional, with two cohorts of patients. Settings: IESS Quito Sur Hospital at Quito, Ecuador, from February to April of 2020. Participants: This study included 204 newborns, 102 preterm infants, 102 term infants. Results: There are significant differences between late preterm infants and term infants, with a p-value of 0.000 in the prevalence of early sepsis, 70.59% vs. 35.29%. In respiratory distress syndrome between late and term premature infants, significant differences were observed with a p-value of 0.000, the proportion being 55.58% vs. 24.51% respectively. The prevalence of jaundice is higher in term infants with a p value of 0.002, 72.55%, versus 51.96% in late preterm infants, and the mean value of bilirubins in mg/dL was higher in term infants 14.32 versus 12.33 in late preterm infants;this difference is statistically significant with a p value of 0.004. Admission to the NICU is more frequent in late preterm infants with a p-value of 0.000, being 42.16% for late preterm infants vs. 7.84% in term infants;the mean of the hospital days with p-value 0.005, was higher in late preterm infants 4.97 days vs. 3.55 days for term newborns. Conclusion: Due to the conditions of their immaturity, late preterm infants are 2.86 times more likely to present early sepsis than full-term newborns. It is shown that late preterm infants are 2.69 times more likely to have respiratory distress syndrome compared to term infants, therefore, late preterm infants have a longer hospital stay of 4.97 days versus 3.55 days in term infants. Jaundice and mean bilirubin levels are higher in term infants due to blood group incompatibility and insufficient breastfeeding.

Effects of massage on newborn infants with jaundice: A meta-analysis

Objective:This meta-analysis aims to systematically evaluate the effects of massage on infants with jaundice.Methods:Multiple electronic databases,including Cochrane Library,PubMed,EMBASE,Web of Science,China Biology Medicine (CBM),Wan Fang Data,VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI),were used to search for studies on the effects of massage on infants with jaundice.Data were analysed by Rev Man 5.3.Results:A total of 14 randomised controlled trials with 1889 patients were included.Statistically significant difference in percutaneous bilirubin [MD =-1.21,95% CI (-1.90,-0.52),P< 0.05;MD =-2.00,95% CI (-2.68,-1.32),P<0.05;MD=-2.00,95% CI (2.56,-1.44),P<0.05;MD=-1.93,95% CI (-2.44,-1.43),P< 0.05] was found between two groups at 48,72,96 and 168 h.Studies on the serum total bilirubin level were divided into two subgroups according to sample size,and the results of subgroup analysis showed that the serum total bilirubin level in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group [MD =-52.06,95% CI (-57.76,-46.36),P< 0.05 and MD =-10.65,95% CI (-14.66,-6.63),P < 0.05].Statistically significant difference in defecation frequency was observed between the two groups at 48 h after birth[SMD =0.44,95%CI (0.02,0.87),P< 0.05].Conclusion:Massage can decrease serum total bilirubin and percutaneous bilirubin levels and increasing defecation frequency.However,due to heterogeneity among studies,numerous multi-centre,largesample and high-quality randomised controlled trials are needed to verify the effects of massage.

Glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase deficiency and its correlation with other risk factors in jaundiced newborns in Southern Brazil

Objective:To evaluate the correlation between glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase(G6PD) deficiency and neonatal jaundice.Methods:Prospective,observational case-control study was conducted on 490 newborns admitted to Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre for phototherapy, who all experienced 35 or more weeks of gestation,from March to December 2007.Enzymatic screening of G6PD activity was performed,followed by PCR.Results:There was prevalence of 4.6% and a boy-girl ratio of 3:1 in jaundiced newborns.No jaundiced neonate with ABO incompatibility presented G6PD deficiency,and no Mediterranean mutation was found.A higher proportion of deficiency was observed in Afro-descendants.There was no association with UGT1A1 variants. Conclusions:G6PD deficiency is not related to severe hyperbilirubinemia and considering the high miscegenation in this area of Brazil,other gene interactions should be investigated.

Jaundice in the Newborn at the Teaching Hospital of Brazzaville

Introduction: Jaundice is a major symptom during neonatal time. It is defined by a bilirubin ≥ 50 mg/l. Objectives: To determine the frequency of neonatal jaundice at the Brazzaville University Hospital, to determine the main etiologies, to evaluate the management, to specify the evolution. Patients and Method: It was a prospective and descriptive study that was conducted in the Neonatology Department and Biochemistry Laboratory of the University Hospital of Brazzaville, from 1st August 2015 to 31st July 2016. It included newborn children admitted into the neonatal unit for treatment of jaundice. The variables studied were epidemiological, clinical, etiological therapy and outcome. Results: The frequency of the neonatal jaundice is 7.2%. The hyperbilirubinemia as not conjugated was found in 99.1% of cases. The main causes are bacterial neonatal infection n = 102 (47.9%), the physiological icterus n = 46 (21.6%) and the ABO incompatibility n = 40 (18.8%). The treatment consists of the phototherapy in all cases. Each phototherapy session lasts 3 hours n = 99 (56.9%), 6 hours n = 58 (33.3%) and 12 hours n = 17 (9.8%). The average duration of the administering of the therapy is of 3 ± 2 days. Hyperbilirubinemia encephalopathy occurred in 62 (29.1%) cases, including 49 cases of kernicterus. The death occurred in 70 (32.9%) children. Conclusion: The importance and the gravity of the neonatal jaundice require primary preventive means based on proper care in pregnancy and the birth. While the secondary prevention includes high index of suspicion, comprehensive diagnostic equipment availability to prevent acute bilirubin encephalopathy.

Correlation between Transcutaneous Bilirubinemia and Blood Bilirubinemia in Screening Term Newborn for Neonatal Jaundice at the Essos Hospital Centre (EHC), Yaoundé, Cameroon

Background: Early and non-invasive diagnosis of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia remains critical in dark skinned babies of low resource settings. Objective: To assess correlation/agreement between transcutaneous bilirubin (Tcb) and serum bilirubin (Tsb) values in full term neonates with jaundice. Methodology: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at the neonatology unit of the Essos Hospital Centre (EHC) from January to June 2019. All full-term neonates aged 0 to 7 days with suspected jaundice who did not receive phototherapy were eligible for the study. The enrolled neonates in the study were assessed clinically, then with the MBJ20 transcutaneous bilirubinometer (TcB). The MBJ20 transcutaneous bilirubinometer highest measurement over the forehead and the sternum were compared to TsB. Data were entered and then analysed with the CsPro7.2 and R (version 3.6.0) software. Correlation was captured by Bland & Alman plots and Concordance Correlation Coefficient (CCC) estimates. The Pearson correlation coefficient and Student test for paired data were used for descriptions purposes, and the significance level was 5%. Results: We recruited 88 neonates. The sex ratio of the babies included was 1.25 favouring males. Median Post-natal age was 3 days with 62% aged 72 hours or more. The mean TcB corresponding to the maximum average between frontal and sternal measurement was 153 mg/dl ± 48 and the average Tsb was 123.80 mg/dl ± 50.48. A good linear correlation was found between TcB and total serum bilirubin level r = 0.86 [0.80;0.91]. Positive correlation was noted between both (forehead and sternum) TcB measurements sites, namely r = 0.78 and r = 0.86. The Bland & Altman plot measured the bias at -29.68 mg/l (confidence interval at 95%, 21.14 - 80.50). The CCC estimate was 0.2 varying from -0.22 to 0.76 according to TcB measurement threshold and post-natal age. The ROC area under the curve value for a threshold < 100 mg/l equals 90% proving to be a good predictor for this threshold. Conclusion: A good linear correlation was found despite a poor agreement between TcB and Tsb. TcB method systematically overestimated the value of TsB.

Ethanol changes Nestin-promoter induced neural stem cells to disturb newborn dendritic spine remodeling in the hippocampus of mice

Adolescent binge drinking leads to long-lasting disorders of the adult central nervous system,particularly aberrant hippocampal neurogenesis.In this study,we applied in vivo fluorescent tracing using NestinCreERT2::Rosa26-tdTomato mice and analyzed the endogenous neurogenesis lineage progression of neural stem cells(NSCs)and dendritic spine formation of newborn neurons in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus.We found abnormal orientation of tamoxifen-induced tdTomato+(tdTom^(+))NSCs in adult mice 2 months after treatment with EtOH(5.0 g/kg,i.p.)for 7 consecutive days.EtOH markedly inhibited tdTom^(+)NSCs activation and hippocampal neurogenesis in mouse dentate gyrus from adolescence to adulthood.EtOH(100 mM)also significantly inhibited the proliferation to 39.2%and differentiation of primary NSCs in vitro.Adult mice exposed to EtOH also exhibited marked inhibitions in dendritic spine growth and newborn neuron maturation in the dentate gyrus,which was partially reversed by voluntary running or inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycinenhancer of zeste homolog 2 pathway.In vivo tracing revealed that EtOH induced abnormal orientation of tdTom+NSCs and spatial misposition defects of newborn neurons,thus causing the disturbance of hippocampal neurogenesis and dendritic spine remodeling in mice.

Audit of Neonatal Jaundice as Experienced at a Mission Hospital in Western Nigeria

Introduction: Neonatal jaundice (NNJ) is a common disorder in neonates that can impact negatively on the brain and cause death. The peculiarities in aetiology and solutions for different settings are a knowledge gap. This informed the desire to determine local aetiology and solutions for neonatal jaundice in a missionary hospital in Abeokuta, Southwestern Nigeria. Methods: Consecutive consenting babies diagnosed with significant neonatal jaundice were studied between July 2016 and June 2019. Institutional ethical consent was obtained. A proforma was used to obtain socio-demographic data and other relevant information such as age, sex, birthweight, gestational age and history regarding the jaundice. All the information obtained was inputted into a computer and analysed with SPSS version 16. Results: A total of 179 babies with neonatal jaundice comprising of 120 (67.0%) boys and 59 (33.0%) girls with ages ranging between 1 and 12 days (mean 2.7 ± 2.9) were studied. Prematurity, ABO incompatibility, neonatal sepsis and glucose-6-phosphate enzyme deficiency accounted for over 80% of the causes of significant NNJ. Sixty (33.5%) of the 179 babies studied developed acute bilirubin encephalopathy and 11 (6.1%) mortalities were recorded. Higher proportions of babies that were out-born with spontaneous vaginal delivery modes had acute bilirubin encephalopathy (p < 0.05). Mothers with formal education had better outcome compared to mothers without, in terms of mortalities (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Neonatal jaundice is still a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the neonatal age group. Maternal education is key to good outcome in neonatal jaundice.

Universal newborn hearing screening program in Saudi Arabia: Current insight

Newborn hearing screening(NHS) programs are essential to identify hearing loss early in life and to improve outcomes in children. In Saudi Arabia, the national NHS program has been operational since 2016;however, few studies have evaluated its status, and none have covered all provinces across the country. This cross-sectional retrospective study provides an overview of the program's status across all provinces, focusing on screening coverage rates, referral/fail rates, and follow-up procedures. In 2021, 199,034 newborns were screened, with a coverage rate of 92.6% and an overall referral/fail rate of 1.87%. These performance measures provide a foundation for future progress and improvements. This study highlights the importance of ongoing efforts to enhance the program's effectiveness and sustainability.

Draft of an Anthropometric Reference System for Full-Term Cameroonian Newborns: Prospective Study with Analytical Aim in the Maternity Wards of Douala

Introduction: Anthropometry applied to newborns is a reliable indicator of the quality of fetal growth. The latter is influenced by genetic, racial and nutritional factors varying from one population to another, explaining why a standard cannot be applied to all populations. Research question: should the Caucasian frame of reference be dogmatically applied in our African context? Multicenter studies are therefore necessary;hence the interest of this work, the main objective of which was to describe the anthropometric profile of full-term newborns in the city of Douala. Methodology: We carried out a cross-sectional study with an analytical aim and prospective data collection in the maternity wards of the Douala General Hospital, Laquintinie Hospital, District hospitals of Deido, Nylon and Bonassama over a period of 4 months (January to April 2020). We were interested in any newborn, born alive, vaginally or by cesarean section, seen in the first 24 hours from a full-term single-fetal pregnancy whose mother had given consent. We excluded newborns whose term was unclear and those with congenital malformations or signs of embryo-foetopathy. Data collection was done using structured and pre-tested survey sheets. The study variables were obstetric and anthropometric. Statistical analyzes were carried out with CS Pro 7.3 and SPSS version 25.0 software. The Student, Chi-square and Fischer tests were used to compare the means of the variables, the percentages with a significance threshold P value Results: During the study period, 305 full-term newborns were included, divided into 172 boys and 133 girls. The average anthropometric parameters of the full-term newborn in the city of Douala were: average weight: 3305 grams, average height: 49.8 centimeters, average head circumference: 34.6 centimeters, average upper arm circumference: 11.3 centimeters, circumference average thoracic: 32.8 centimeters. The percentile distribution showed a 10th percentile at 2656 grams and a 90th percentile at 3966 grams for weight defining the limits for small-for-gestational-age neonates and macrosomes. Conclusion: The anthropometric data of the full-term newborn in the city of Douala were: an average weight of 3305.4 grams, an average height of 49.8 centimeters, an average head circumference of 34.2 centimeters, an average upper arm circumference of 11.3 centimeters, and an average thoracic circumference of 32.8 centimeters with higher valuesin male newborns.

Hepatomegaly and jaundice as the presenting symptoms of systemic light-chain amyloidosis: A case report

BACKGROUND Light chain(AL)amyloidosis is a plasma cell dyscrasia characterized by the pathologic production and extracellular tissue deposition of fibrillar proteins derived from immunoglobulin AL fragments secreted by a clone of plasma cells,which leads to progressive dysfunction of the affected organs.The two most commonly affected organs are the heart and kidneys,and liver is rarely the dominant affected organ with only 3.9%of cases,making them prone to misdia-gnosis and missed diagnosis.CASE SUMMARY A 65-year-old woman was admitted with a 3-mo history of progressive jaundice and marked hepatomegaly.Initially,based on enhanced computed tomography scan and angiography,Budd-Chiari syndrome was considered and balloon dilatation of significant hepatic vein stenoses was performed.However,addi-tional diagnostic procedures,including liver biopsy and bone marrow-exami-nation,revealed immunoglobulin kapa AL amyloidosis with extensive liver involvement and hepatic vascular compression.The disease course was progre-ssive and fatal,and the patient eventually died 5 mo after initial presentation of symptoms.CONCLUSION AL amyloidosis with isolated liver involvement is very rare,and can be easily misdiagnosed as a vascular disease.

Efficacy and safety of percutaneous transhepatic biliary radiofrequency ablation in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice

BACKGROUND Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage(PTCD)and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography/endoscopic nasobiliary drainage are the most common clinical procedures for jaundice control in patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice,yet the safety and effect of endobiliary radiofrequency ablation(EB-RFA)combined PTCD is rarely reported,in this article,we report our experience of EB-RFA combined PTCD in such patients.AIM To retrospectively study the efficacy and safety of EB-RFA combined PTCD in patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice.METHODS Patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice treated with EB-RFA under PTCD were selected,the bile ducts of the right posterior lobe was selected as the target bile ducts in all cases.The general conditions of all patients,preoperative tumour markers,total bilirubin(TBIL),direct bilirubin(DBIL),albumin(ALB),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),and glutamyl transferase(GGT)before and on the 7th day after the procedure,as well as perioperative complications,stent patency time and patient survival were recorded.RESULTS All patients successfully completed the operation,TBIL and DBIL decreased significantly in all patients at the 7th postoperative day(P=0.009 and 0.006,respectively);the values of ALB,ALP and GGT also decreased compared with the preoperative period,but the difference was not statistically significant.Perioperative biliary bleeding occurred in 2 patients,which was improved after transfusion of blood and other conservative treatments,pancreatitis appeared in 1 patient after the operation,no serious complication and death happened after operation.Except for 3 patients with loss of visits,the stent patency rate of the remaining 14 patients was 100%71%and 29%at the 1^(st),3^(rd),and 6^(th)postoperative months respectively,with a median survival of 4 months.CONCLUSION EB-RFA under PTCD in patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice has a satisfactory therapeutic effect and high safety,which is worthy of further clinical practice.

Balloon dilation of congenital perforated duodenal web in newborns: Evaluation of short and long-term results

BACKGROUND Incomplete congenital duodenal obstruction(ICDO)is caused by a congenitally perforated duodenal web(CPDW).Currently,only six cases of balloon dilatation of the PDW in newborns have been described.AIM To present our experience of balloon dilatation of a perforated duodenal memb-rane in newborns with ICDO.METHODS Five newborns who underwent balloon dilatation of the CPDW along a prein-stalled guidewire between 2021 and 2023 were included.Nineteen newborns diagnosed with ICDO who underwent laparotomy were included in the control group.RESULTS In all cases,good anatomical and clinical results were obtained.In three cases,a follow-up study was conducted after 1 year.The average time to start enteral feeding per os was significantly earlier in the study group(4.4 d)than in the laparotomic group(21.2 days;P<0.0001).The time spent by patients in the intensive care unit and hospital after balloon dilatation was also significantly shorter.We determined the selection criteria for possible and effective CPDW balloon dilatation in newborns as follows:(1)Presence of dynamic radiographic signs of the passage of a radiopaque substance beyond the zone of narrowing or radiographic signs of pneumatisation of the duodenum and small bowel distal to the web;(2)presence of endoscopic signs of CPDW;(3)successful cannulation with a guidewire performed parallel to the endoscope,with holes in the congenital duodenal web;and(4)successful positioning of the balloon performed along a freestanding guidewire on the web.CONCLUSION Strictly following selection criteria for newborns with ICDO caused by CPDW ensures that endoscopic balloon dilatation using a pre-installed guidewire is safe and effective and shows good 1-year follow-up results.

A core scientific problem in the treatment of central nervous system diseases:newborn neurons

It has long been asserted that failure to recover from central nervous system diseases is due to the system's intricate structure and the regenerative incapacity of adult neurons.Yet over recent decades,numerous studies have established that endogenous neurogenesis occurs in the adult central nervous system,including humans'.This has challenged the long-held scientific consensus that the number of adult neurons remains constant,and that new central nervous system neurons cannot be created or renewed.Herein,we present a comprehensive overview of the alterations and regulatory mechanisms of endogenous neurogenesis following central nervous system injury,and describe novel treatment strategies that to rget endogenous neurogenesis and newborn neurons in the treatment of central nervous system injury.Central nervous system injury frequently results in alterations of endogenous neurogenesis,encompassing the activation,proliferation,ectopic migration,diffe rentiation,and functional integration of endogenous neural stem cells.Because of the unfavorable local microenvironment,most activated neural stem cells diffe rentiate into glial cells rather than neurons.Consequently,the injury-induced endogenous neurogenesis response is inadequate for repairing impaired neural function.Scientists have attempted to enhance endogenous neurogenesis using various strategies,including using neurotrophic factors,bioactive materials,and cell reprogramming techniques.Used alone or in combination,these therapeutic strategies can promote targeted migration of neural stem cells to an injured area,ensure their survival and diffe rentiation into mature functional neurons,and facilitate their integration into the neural circuit.Thus can integration re plenish lost neurons after central nervous system injury,by improving the local microenvironment.By regulating each phase of endogenous neurogenesis,endogenous neural stem cells can be harnessed to promote effective regeneration of newborn neurons.This offers a novel approach for treating central nervous system injury.

Pathophysiological consequences and treatment strategy of obstructive jaundice

Obstructive jaundice(OJ)is a common problem in daily clinical practice.However,completely understanding the pathophysiological changes in OJ remains a challenge for planning current and future management.The effects of OJ are widespread,affecting the biliary tree,hepatic cells,liver function,and causing systemic complications.The lack of bile in the intestine,destruction of the intestinal mucosal barrier,and increased absorption of endotoxins can lead to endotoxemia,production of proinflammatory cytokines,and induce systemic inflammatory response syndrome,ultimately leading to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.Proper management of OJ includes adequate water supply and electrolyte replacement,nutritional support,preventive antibiotics,pain relief,and itching relief.The surgical treatment of OJ depends on the cause,location,and severity of the obstruction.Biliary drainage,surgery,and endoscopic intervention are potential treatment options depending on the patient's condition.In addition to modern medical treatments,Traditional Chinese medicine may offer therapeutic benefits for OJ.A comprehensive search was conducted on PubMed for relevant articles published up to August 1970.This review discusses in detail the pathophysiological changes associated with OJ and presents effective strategies for managing the condition.

Etiology analysis for term newborns with severe hyperbilirubinemia in eastern Guangdong of China

BACKGROUND Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is one of the common diseases of newborns that typically presents with yellow staining of skin,resulting in sequelaes such as hearing loss,motor and intellectual development disorders,and even death.The pathogenic factors of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia are complex.Different cases of hyperbilirubinemia may have a single or mixed etiology.AIM To explore the etiological characteristics of severe hyperbilirubinemia in term newborns of eastern Guangdong of China.METHODS Term newborns with severe hyperbilirubinemia in one hospital from January 2012 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The etiology was determined according to the laboratory results and clinical manifestations.RESULTS Among 1602 term newborns with hyperbilirubinemia in eastern Guangdong of China,32.20%(580/1602)was severe hyperbilirubinemia.Among the causes of severe hyperbilirubinemia,neonatal hemolysis accounted for 15.17%,breast milk jaundice accounted for 12.09%,infection accounted for 10.17%,glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase(G6PD)deficiency accounted for 9.14%,and the coexistence of multiple etiologies accounted for 6.55%,unknown etiology accounted for 41.72%.ABO hemolysis and G6PD deficiency were the most common causes in the 20 cases with bilirubin encephalopathy.94 severe hyperbilirubinemia newborns were tested for uridine diphosphate glucuronosyl transferase 1A1(UGT1A1)*6 variant(rs4148323,c.211G>A,p.Arg71Gly),9 cases were 211 G to A homozygous variant,37 cases were 211 G to A heterozygous variant,and 48 cases were wild genotypes.CONCLUSION The main cause for severe hyperbilirubinemia and bilirubin encephalopathy in eastern Guangdong of China were the hemolytic disease of the newborns,G6PD deficiency and infection.UGT1A1 gene variant was also a high-risk factor for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.Targeted prevention and treatment according to the etiology may reduce the occurrence of bilirubin encephalopathy and kernicterus.

Various aspects of hearing loss in newborns:A narrative review

Hearing loss is considered the most common birth defect.The estimated prevalence of moderate and severe hearing loss in a normal newborn is 0.1%-0.3%,while the prevalence is 2%-4%in newborns admitted to the newborn intensive care unit.Neonatal hearing loss can be congenital(syndromic or nonsyndromic)or acquired such as ototoxicity.In addition,the types of hearing loss can be conductive,sensorineural,or mixed.Hearing is vital for the acquisition of language and learning.Therefore,early detection and prompt treatment are of utmost importance in preventing the unwanted sequel of hearing loss.The hearing screening program is mandatory in many nations,especially for high-risk newborns.An automated auditory brainstem response test is used as a screening tool in newborns admitted to the newborn intensive care unit.Moreover,genetic testing and screening for cytomegalovirus in newborns are essential in identifying the cause of hearing loss,particularly,mild and delayed onset types of hearing loss.We aimed to update the knowledge on the various aspects of hearing loss in newborns with regard to the epidemiology,risk factors,causes,screening program,investigations,and different modalities of treatment.

Postoperative jaundice related to UGT1A1 and ABCB11 gene mutations:A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND Patients with obstructive jaundice caused by intrahepatic bile duct stones can be effectively managed by surgery.However,some patients may develop postope-rative complications,liver failure,and other life-threatening situations.Here,we report a patient with mutations in the uridine 5’-diphospho-glucuronosyltrans-ferase 1A1(UGT1A1)and bile salt export pump(adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette subfamily B member 11,ABCB11)genes who presented multiple intrahe-patic bile duct stones and cholestasis,and the jaundice of the patient increased after partial hepatectomy.CASE SUMMARY A 52-year-old male patient admitted to the hospital on October 23,2021,with a progressive exacerbation of jaundice,was found to have multiple intrahepatic bile duct stones with the diagnoses of obstructive jaundice and acute cholecystitis.Subsequently,the patient underwent left hepatectomy with biliary exploration,stone extraction,T-tube drainage,and cholecystectomy without developing any intraoperative complications.The patient had a dark urine color with worsening jaundice postoperatively and did not respond well to plasma exchange and other symptomatic and supportive treatments.Since the progressive increase in postoperative bilirubin could not be clinically explained with any potential reason,including,if not at all,viral infection,cholangitis,autoimmune liver disease,and other causes,the patient underwent whole-exon screening for any genetic diseases,which surprisingly identified UGT1A1 and ABCB11 gene mutations related to glucuronidation of indirect bilirubin as well as bile acid transport in hepatocytes,respectively.Thus,we hypothesized that postoperative refractory cholestasis might result from UGT1A1 and ABCB11 gene mutations and further recommended liver transplantation to the patient,who eventually declined it and died from liver failure six months later.CONCLUSION Surgery may aggravate cholestasis in patients with multiple intrahepatic bile duct stones and cholestasis associated with UGT1A1 and ABCB11 gene mutations.A liver transplant may be the best option if active medical treatment fails.

Effect of caffeine in the intraventricular hemorrhage of the preterm newborn

There are around 15 million preterm newborns(PT) eve ry year(Atienza-Navarro et al., 2020).With these figures in mind,prematurity represents a major health problem worldwide and it is a leading cause of infant mortality,accounting for up to 35%of all deaths among newborns(Atienza-Navarro et al.,2020) and up to 18% of the deaths among children under 5 years of age.

Isolation of Leclercia adecarboxylata Producing Carbapenemases in A Newborn Female

Leclercia adecarboxylata is a Gram-negative bacterium belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family.To our knowledge,this is the first report of a carbapenem-resistant L.adecarboxylata strain isolated from a healthy newborn.The L.adecarboxylata strain isolated in this study carried four plasmids that may serve as reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes.Plasmids 2 and 4 did not harbor any antimicrobial resistance genes.Plasmid 3 is a novel plasmid containing three resistance genes.The bla IMP gene harbored in the strain was most similar to bla IMP-79 at the nucleotide level,with a similarity of 99.4%(737/741).This case highlights the importance of considering L.adecarboxylata as a potential cause of infections in children.

Hospital Outcome of Newborns with a Health Cheque System in Comparison to Those Without

Introduction: The health cheque system is a prepayment mechanism aimed at reducing neonatal and maternal mortality through improving the management of pregnant women. The pregnant woman with the health cheque system that she pays at six thousand francs XAF (African financial community) is covered free of charge for all the care provided by the cheque system in the health facilities accredited to the health cheque project. We did a study, with objective to determine the hospital outcome of newborns with a health cheque system (HCS) compared to those without health cheque system. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection was carried out at the Ngaoundere Regional Hospital from January 2018 to September 2021. Results: During our study period, 2985 newborns were received. We saw an increase in admissions over the years, particularly in the group of newborns with the health cheque system. Comparatively, the percentage of newborns cured in the health cheque system group was 76.73% (n = 1643) versus 77.72% (n = 656) those in the non-health cheque system group. Those who died were 8.96% (n = 192) in the health cheque system group compared to 6.27% (n = 53) in the non-health cheque system group. Conclusions and Recommendations: Most patients admitted to our service have the health cheque system. We notice an increase in hospital attendance with the health cheque project. The outcome of the newborn under the health cheque system is not different from that without health cheque system. The health cheque system was successful in getting the larger number of newborns into care. The next step is to put strategies in place to keep these patients in care for the duration of hospitalization.