Crohn's disease and growth deficiency in children and adolescents

Nutritional concerns, linear growth deficiency, and delayed puberty are currently detected in up to 85% of patients with Crohn's disease(CD) diagnosed at childhood. To provide advice on how to assess and manage nutritional concerns in these patients, a Medline search was conducted using "pediatric inflammatory bowel disease", "pediatric Crohn's disease", "linear growth","pubertal growth", "bone health", and "vitamin D" as key words. Clinical trials, systematic reviews, and metaanalyses published between 2008 and 2013 were selected to produce this narrative review. Studies referring to earlier periods were also considered if the data was relevant to our review. Although current treatment strategies for CD that include anti-tumor necrosis factor-αtherapy have been shown to improve patients' growth rate, linear growth deficiencies are still common. In pediatric CD patients, prolonged diagnostic delay, high initial activity index, and stricturing/penetrating typeof behavior may cause growth deficiencies(in weight and height) and delayed puberty, with several studies reporting that these patients may not reach an optimal bone mass. Glucocorticoids and inflammation inhibit bone formation, though their impact on skeletal modeling remains unclear. Long-term control of active inflammation and an adequate intake of nutrients are both fundamental in promoting normal puberty. Recent evidence suggests that recombinant growth factor therapy is effective in improving short-term linear growth in selected patients, but is of limited benefit for ameliorating mucosal disease and reducing clinical disease activity. The authors conclude that an intense initial treatment(taking a "top-down" approach, with the early introduction of immunomodulatory treatment) may be justified to induce and maintain remission so that the growth of children with CD can catch up, ideally before puberty. Exclusive enteral nutrition has a key role in inducing remission and improving patients' nutritional status.

Italian survey on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugsand gastrointestinal bleeding in children

AIM: To investigate gastrointestinal complications associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAIDs) use in children.METHODS: A retrospective, multicenter study was conducted between January 2005 and January 2013, with the participation of 8 Italian pediatric gastroenterology centers. We collected all the cases of patients who refer to emergency room for suspected gastrointestinal bleeding following NSAIDs consumption, and underwent endoscopic evaluation. Previous medical history, associated risk factors, symptoms and signs at presentation, diagnostic procedures, severity of bleeding and management of gastrointestinal bleeding were collected. In addition, data regarding type of drug used, indication, dose, duration of treatment and prescriber(physician or selfmedication) were examined. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients, including 34 males, were enrolled(median age: 7.8 years). Ibuprofen was the most used NSAID [35/51 patients(68.6%)]. Pain was the most frequent indication for NSAIDs use [29/51 patients(56.9%)]. Seven patients had positive family history of Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection or peptic ulcer, and 12 had associated comorbidities. Twenty-four(47%) out of 51 patients used medication inappropriately. Hematemesis was the most frequent symptom(33.3%). Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed gastric lesions in 32/51(62%) patients, duodenal lesions in 17(33%) and esophageal lesions in 8(15%). In 10/51(19.6%) patients, a diagnosis of H. pylori gastritis was made. Forty-eight(94%) patients underwent medical therapy, with spontaneous bleeding resolution, while in 3/51(6%) patients, an endoscopic hemostasis was needed.CONCLUSION: The data collected in this study confirms that adverse events with the involvement of the gastrointestinal tract secondary to NSAID use are also common in

Mechanisms of altered bone remodeling in children with type 1 diabetes

Bone loss associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus(T1DM)begins at the onset of the disease,already in childhood,determining a lower bone mass peak and hence a greater risk of osteoporosis and fractures later in life.The mechanisms underlying diabetic bone fragility are not yet completely understood.Hyperglycemia and insulin deficiency can affect the bone cells functions,as well as the bone marrow fat,thus impairing the bone strength,geometry,and microarchitecture.Several factors,like insulin and growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1,can control bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell commitment,and the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand/osteoprotegerin and Wnt-b catenin pathways can impair bone turnover.Some myokines may have a key role in regulating metabolic control and improving bone mass in T1DM subjects.The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the current knowledge of the mechanisms underlying altered bone remodeling in children affected by T1DM.

Adherence to medication: A nation-wide study from the Children's Cancer Hospital, Egypt

AIM: To investigate adherence to medical regimen and predictors for non-adherence among children with cancer in Egypt. METHODS: We administered two study specific questionnaires to 304 parents of children diagnosed with cancer at the Children's Cancer Hospital in Cairo, Egypt, one before the first chemotherapy treatment and the other before the third. The questionnaires were translated to colloquial Egyptian Arabic, and due, to the high illiteracy level in Egypt an interviewer read thequestions in Arabic to each parent and registered the answers. Both questionnaires consisted of almost 90 questions each. In addition, a Case Report Form was filled in from the child's medical journal. The study period consisted of 7 mo(February until September 2008) and we had a participation rate of 97%. Descriptive statistics are presented and Fisher's exact test was used to check for possible differences between the adherent and non-adherent groups. A P-value below 0.05 was considered significant. Software used was SAS version 9.3 for Windows(SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, United States).RESULTS: Two hundred and eighty-one(90%) parents answered the second questionnaire, regarding their child's adherence behaviour. Approximately two thirds of the children admitted to their third chemotherapy treatment had received medical recommendations upon discharge from the first or second chemotherapy treatment(181/281, 64%). Sixty-eight percent(123/181) of the parents who were given medical recommendations reported that their child did not follow the recommendations. Two main predictors were found for non-adherence: child resistance(111/123, 90%) and inadequate information(100/123, 81%). In the adherent group, 20% of the parents(n = 12/58) reported trust in their child's doctor while 14 percent 8/58 reported trust in the other health-care professionals. Corresponding numbers for the non-adherent group are 8/123(7%) for both their child's doctor and other health-care professionals. Almost all of the parents expressed a lack of optimism towards the treatment(116/121, 96%), yet they reported an intention to continue with the treatment for two main reasons, for the sake of their child's life(70%)(P = 0.005) and worry that their child would die if they discontinued the treatment(81%)(P < 0.0001).CONCLUSION: Non-adherence to medical regimen is common among children diagnosed with cancer inEgypt, the main reasons being child resistance and inadequate information.

Analysis of orthopedic surgical procedures in children with cerebral palsy

BACKGROUND Orthopedic surgery in children with cerebral palsy(CP)aims to improve function and prevent deformities.Each child’s condition in CP is unique and many covariables influence surgical decision-making including a patient's age and their functional level.Little is known about the frequency of different types of orthopedic surgery in children with CP who have varied functional levels,particularly in countries from Latin America.AIM To assess the type of orthopedic surgical procedures in relation to age and gross motor function in children with CP.METHODS This retrospective study included all children with CP(n=245)treated with elective orthopedic surgery at a Uruguayan university hospital between October 2010 and May 2016 identified from a surgical database.Eighteen children(7%)were lost to follow-up due to missing medical charts.Demographics,gross motor function classification(GMFCS),and orthopedic surgeries were obtained from the medical records of 227 children.Chi-squared tests and analysis of variance were used to assess the frequency of surgery,accounting for GMFCS levels.Mean age for soft tissue vs bone surgery was compared with the independent samples t-test.RESULTS A total of 711 surgical procedures were performed between 1998 and 2016.On average,children had 3.1 surgical procedures and the mean age at first surgery was 8.0 years.There were no significant differences in age at first surgery among GMFCS levels(P=0.47).The most common procedures were lower leg soft tissue surgery(n=189,27%),hip tenotomy(n=135,19%),and hamstring tenotomy(n=104,14%).For children with GMFCS level Ⅰ,the mean number of surgeries per child[1.8(range 1-9)]differed significantly at P<0.05 in children with GMFCS levels Ⅱ[3.2(1-12)],Ⅲ[3.2(1-8)],Ⅳ[3.3(1-13)],and Ⅴ[3.6(1-11)].Within Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ,and Ⅴ,there was no significant difference in mean number of surgeries per child when comparing across the groups.The proportion of soft tissue surgery vs bone surgery was higher in GMFCS levels Ⅰ-Ⅲ(80%-85%)compared to levels IV(68%)and V(55%)(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The frequency of surgical procedures per child did not increase with higher GMFCS level after level Ⅰ.However,the proportion of bone surgery was higher in GMFCS levels Ⅳ-Ⅴ compared to Ⅰ-Ⅲ.

Intensive diabetes management and goal setting are key aspects of improving metabolic control in children and young people with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Diabetes control in children remains poor in spite of advances in treatment for last 10 years. The aim of this review was to look at various aspects of intensive therapy in the management of type 1 diabetes such as insulin regimes, role of target setting, psycho-educational approaches and self-management. To achieve good metabolic control, clear goal setting with adequate support for self-management are essential. Psycho-educational and behavioural interventions aimed at specific areas of management have shown significant improvement in quality of life and diabetes control.

COVID-19 Vaccine Priority Access for Adults and Children with Congenital Heart Disease: A Statement of the Italian Society of Pediatric Cardiology

COVID-19 pandemic continues to strike across the world with increasing number of infected patients,severe morbidity and mortality,social life and economy disruption.Universal access to vaccine prophylaxis will be pivotal in controlling this infection and providing individual level protection.However,mismatch between vaccine request and vaccine availability,as well as constraints in logistics of vaccine campaign is creating a transition phase of progressive but still incomplete inclusion of group of individuals in the vaccination process.Selected patients living with chronic and multisystemic disease may present increased propensity of adverse outcome,should Sars-Cov-2 infection develop.In these patients,expedite access to COVID-19 vaccination may be considered.The Italian Society of Pediatric Cardiology National Board is providing a viewpoint to inform policy makers and public authorities during vaccine allocation strategies development,to consider higher priority and expedite access for selected groups of patients living with congenital heart disease.

Labor Induction with Transcervical Catheter versus Oral Misoprostol in Primiparous Women and Women with an Unripe Cervix

Objective: To compare labor induction with transcervical catheter to oral misoprostol treatment in primiparous women and women with an unripe cervix, who are at high risk for unsuccessful labor induction. Study Design: A retrospective study was carried out in a university hospital in Sweden. Primary outcomes were vaginal birth within 24 hours and the cesarean section rate. Secondary outcomes were the induction to vaginal delivery interval, chorioamnionitis and neonatal asphyxia. Results: Vaginal birth within 24 hours was obtained more frequently after catheter compared with misoprostol in primiparous women (p < 0.001) and women with Bishop scores 3 - 4 (p < 0.001), but not in women with Bishop scores 0 - 2 (p = 0.07). The cesarean section rates were comparable in all groups (p > 0.05). The induction to vaginal delivery interval was 8 - 12 hours shorter after catheter (p < 0.001). The rates of chorioamnionitis and newborns with an Apgar score 0.05). Conclusion: Labor induction with transcervical catheter resulted in a higher rate of vaginal birth within 24 hours and an 8 - 12 hour shorter induction to vaginal delivery interval compared to treatment with oral misoprostol. This was obtained without increasing the rates of cesarean section, chorioamnionitis or neonatal asphyxia.

Increased free androgen index is associated with hypertension in premenopausal women

Objective: Increased testosterone and decreased sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) are associated with a number of adverse cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women. The aim of this population-based study of women aged 25 to 50 was to assess the relationship between free androgen index (FAI) and cardiovascular risk factors in premenopausal women. Methods: A population-based survey of 396 premenopausal women with no hormonal treatment was undertaken as part of the Northern MONICA study. The study involved questionnaires, anthropometry and assays of testosterone and SHBG. Results: Increased FAI was associated with a number of cardiovascular risk factors in premenopausal women but this relationship was strongly affected by body mass index (BMI). After adjustment for age and BMI, FAI was significantly associated with increased systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Conclusion: Hyperandrogenism is associated with increased blood pressure and these findings emphasize the need to assess cardiovascular risk factors in women with hyperandrogenism of all ages.

Role of apoptosis-inducing factor in perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury

Perinatal complications,such as asphyxia,can cause brain injuries that are often associated with subsequent neurological deficits,such as cerebral palsy or mental retardation.The mechanisms of perinatal brain injury are not fully understood,but mitochondria play a prominent role not only due to their central function in metabolism but also because many proteins with apoptosis-related functions are located in the mitochondrion.Among these proteins,apoptosis-inducing factor has already been shown to be an important factor involved in neuronal cell death upon hypoxia-ischemia,but a better understanding of the mechanisms behind these processes is required for the development of more effective treatments during the early stages of perinatal brain injury.In this review,we focus on the molecular mechanisms of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy,specifically on the importance of apoptosis-inducing factor.The relevance of apoptosis-inducing factor is based not only because it participates in the caspase-independent apoptotic pathway but also because it plays a crucial role in mitochondrial energetic functionality,especially with regard to the maintenance of electron transport during oxidative phosphorylation and in oxidative stress,acting as a free radical scavenger.We also discuss all the different apoptosis-inducing factor isoforms discovered,focusing especially on apoptosis-inducing factor 2,which is only expressed in the brain and the functions of which are starting now to be clarified.Finally,we summarized the interaction of apoptosis-inducing factor with several proteins that are crucial for both apoptosis-inducing factor functions(prosurvival and pro-apoptotic)and that are highly important in order to develop promising therapeutic targets for improving outcomes after perinatal brain injury.

Cytomegalovirus in human brain tumors:Role in pathogenesis and potential treatment options

During the last years increasing evidence implies that human cytomegalovirus(CMV) can be attributed to human malignancies arising from numerous tissues. In this perspective, we will review and discuss the potential mechanisms through which CMV infection may contribute to brain tumors by affecting tumor cell initiation, progression and metastasis formation. Recent evidence also suggests that anti-CMV treatment results in impaired tumor growth of CMV positive xenografts in animal models and potentially increased survival in CMV positive glioblastoma patients. Based on these observations and the high tumor promoting capacity of this virus, the classical and novel antiviral therapies against CMV should be revisited as they may represent a great promise for halting tumor progression and lower cancer deaths.

Comamonas testosteroni-associated peritonitis in a pediatric peritoneal dialysis patient

Comamonas testosteroni(C. testosteroni) has been rarely observed as an infectious agent in clinical practice. Few reports described its potential pathogenicity in bloodstream and abdominal infections. Here, we report our experience in the treatment of a C. testosteroni-associated peritonitis in a four-year-old girl receiving chronic peritoneal dialysis(PD). The organism was shown to be highly susceptible to appropriate antibiotic therapy. Infection responded promptly and the patient was managed conservatively without withdrawal from PD.

Late hCG administration yields more good quality embryos and favors the overall IVF outcome

Context: Optimal timing of hCG administration is a crucial step for successful IVF. Currently used standard hCG administration timing is not always practically possible due to weekends break or other reasons. Sometimes hCG needs to be administrated earlier or later than standard timing. Aim: To find out whether earlier or later hCG administration gives better IVF outcome. Setting and Design: A retrospective study on patients who underwent conventional IVF treatment. Methods and Material: Based on hCG timing, the patients were divided into three groups: the early hCG group where the hCG was given when less than three follicles ≥ 17 mm;the standard hCG group where the hCG was given when three or more follicles ≥ 17 mm;and the late hCG group where the hCG was given 1 to 3 days after the standard timing. The number of retrieved mature oocytes, the fertilization rate, the number of good quality embryos, the pregnancy rate and the live birth rate were compared among three groups. Statistical Analysis: x2 test, fisher exact test and Student t-test were used. Results: in total, 289 patients, 305 IVF cycles and 2784 oocytes were analyzed. The late hCG group has significantly larger number of MII oocytes, fertilized oocytes and good quality embryos per IVF cycle, when compared with the early hCG group. The fertilization rate, the pregnancy rate and the live birth rate per IVF cycle were similar among the three groups. Conclusion: Although the delayed administration of hCG did not favor IVF outcome per IVF cycle, the cumulative pregnancy rate is likely to be improved with consideration of higher yield of good quality embryos.

Criminality among Former Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Patients and Matched Controls

Background: Externalizing symptoms in children (aggression, oppositionality, property and status violations), and the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) triad of problems (inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity) display a substantial co-morbidity. The “short temper” problem is common to these syndromes, which are predictive of a range of negative life outcomes including substance abuse and criminality in adulthood. There is a gender gap for the syndromes (boys are more affected), for criminality (men are more criminal) and knowledge (we know less about girls’ criminal careers). Aims: The main aim was to compare crime rates and crime profiles among former Child and Adolescent Psychiatric (CAP) patients with corresponding data for matched controls, focusing externalizing and internalizing psychiatric symptoms, sex and adverse social factors. Method: Data for 6055 former CAP-Stockholm outpatients were extracted from available treatment registers. For each CAP patient, two matched controls from the general population were randomly selected from the same area of residence, of the same sex and with the same year of birth (N approx. 12,000). Data on criminality for these individuals were obtained from a Swedish police register which also includes crimes committed prior to age 15. Results: Overall, twice as many former CAP patients were registered for crimes at a mean age of 21.4 compared to the controls. The over-representation was larger for crimes of violence. Females were registered for a much lower number of crimes, particularly crimes of violence (gender gap). The gender gap among the CAP patients was smaller than among controls. Compared with controls, CAP patients characterized by externalizing problems at referral had an odds ratio (OR) for crimes of 5 for males and 10 for females. Neglect was the only adverse social factor which was associated with a higher crime rate and affected boys more than girls. Compared to previous Swedish CAP cohorts, the criminality of the current cohort was much higher. Conclusion: In-depth studies of female crime careers characterized by externalising problems are needed. Child psychiatric services must find new and more effective ways of identifying and treating children with such problems, regardless of sex. The findings can guide the choice of strategies which will reduce crime rate.

Expression and localization of prostaglandin receptors and stromal factors in human cervix—Variations in pregnant and non-pregnant states

Prostaglandins (PGs) mediate cervical ripening leading to parturition. PGs are used successfully to induce cervical ripening. However, the cell type specific expression of PG receptor subtypes and various stromal factors important for cervical ripening in human cervix is not known. Our objective was to investigate the expression and localization of PG receptors EP1-4 and FP and localization of stromal factors CTGF (connective tissue growth factor), furin, calgranulin ?B, ALOX12 (arachidonate 12-lipooxy-genase) and ALOX15 in human cervical tissue from pregnant and non-pregnant women. Cervical biopsies were obtained from non-pregnant (NP), term pregnant (TP) and post-partum (PP) women. The mRNA expression was determined with real-time PCR, protein expression and localization with immunohistochemistry. Our results show that the EP2 mRNA level was higher in the PP group as compared to TP, whereas the EP4 mRNA level was lower in the TP group as compared to NP. Concomitantly stromal EP2 and epithelial EP3 immunoreactivity was higher in the TP as compared to the NP group, while the EP4 immunostaining in glands was lower in the TP as compared to the PP group. Immunostaining of endothelial CTGF, smooth muscle furin and ALOX12, were all lower in the TP group as compared to NP, for CTGF also the PP group was lower than NP. Endothelial calgranulin B immunoreactivity was higher in the PP group than the NP group. PG receptors and stromal factors exhibit differential expression in the cervix from women in non-pregnant and pregnant states, implying their involvement in the process of cervical ripening.

Knowledge about Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) and attitudes to medical care seeking—A comparison between patients and the general public

Background: Patients with acute myocardial infarction often have long decision times before seeking medical care. The decision time is influenced by knowledge of AMI-symptoms, psychological factors and the response of people near the patient to the symptoms. Aim: To investigate and compare the knowledge of AMI, intended actions in response to AMI-symptoms and attitudes toward seeking medical care of patients and the general public. Method: This was a multicentre study with descriptive and comparative design, using questionnaires as an instrument. The population consisted of AMI-patients and representatives of the general public. Results: There was good knowledge about typical AMI-symptoms among the participants. The majority thought an AMI always starts suddenly. Patients did not know more about the time-dependency of treatment outcome than the general public. A greater proportion of the general public would contact an additional person before consulting medical professionals. Conclusions: Patients had no better knowledge about AMI than the general public, but would more commonly act appropriately in case of AMI-symptoms.

Effects of selective estrogen receptor agonists on estrogen receptor expression in the uterus of ovariectomized rats

The aim of the present study was to investigate effects of short time treatment with estrogen receptor (ER) selective agonists on ERα, ERβ and G-protein coupled estrogen receptor-1 (GPER) expression in the uterus of ovariectomized rats. The rats were treated with either estradiol (E2), the specific ERα agonist PPT or the specific ERβ agonist DPN for 18 hrs. Uterine weights were higher after E2 or PPT treatment than after DPN or no treatment. ERα mRNA levels decreased significantly in PPT and DPN treated animals as compared to controls. Stromal ERα immunostaining was higher after E2 treatment than in controls. The ERβ mRNA level was lower in the E2 and PPT groups compared with controls. ERβ immunoreactivity was higher in the myometrium after DPN treatment than in controls. The GPER mRNA level was lower in the E2 and DPN groups as compared to the controls, whereas total protein levels did not display any change. The proliferation marker Ki-67 increased after PPT treatment in stroma and myometrium, as compared to controls. Thus, uterine growth and proliferation are predominately regulated via ERα. Also ERβ expression showed regulation via ERα, while GPER expression indicated control via ERβ. This short term treatment did not result in any regulation of the total protein level as determined by Western blot. However, treatment by E2 increased ERα immunostaining in the stroma and DPN augmented ERβ immunostaining in the myometrium. Thus, the estrogen receptors in the rat uterus are differently regulated depending on the ligand and tissue type.

Fundraising Capacity of HIV/AIDS Community-Based Organizations in 3 Years (2017-2019) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

HIV/AIDS is still an important public health issue in Vietnam and other developing countries. In Vietnam, Community-based organizations (CBOs) were officially considered as the key partners to approach vulnerable groups at high risks of HIV infection since 2010. Funds for HIV/AIDS prevention and control are facing difficulties due to rapid reduction by international organizations, while domestic funding has not yet met the demand, especially funding for prevention and communication activities. Our study aimed to assess the fundraising capacity of several CBOs in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and analyze the challenges that they are facing now and in future in their work of HIV/AIDS management for community. The 03 typical and representative CBOs (G3VN, Smile and Strong Ladies) were chosen in our cross-sectional descriptive study. The electronic questionnaire was about fundraising reports over 3 years (2017-2019), organization structure (staff, mission, strategies) and the advantages and disadvantages in fundraising. Funds received over the year increased in total, but unstable in each projects. To have more funds, CBOs must invest time and money to have professional staff in fundraising and writing proposals. To meet requirement and survive, some CBO shifted to social enterprises and faced many difficulties in laws when being treated like profit companies. In Vietnam context, the key challenges which affect the role of funding are including: 1) Legal status;2) Small scale;3) Capacity of fundraising (finding calls, writing competence proposals);4) Fewer funds on HIV/AIDS. In future, we should pay attention in scaling up and building fundraising capacity for CBOs in order to help them in applying for international funds in community projects or even in HIV/AIDS research for CBOs, social enterprises in the context of funds for nation-level phased out of Vietnam.

N-Acetylcysteine Amide(NACA) Reduces Cell Death after Oxidative Stress in a Porcine Embryonic Kidney Cell Line

Introduction: Oxidative stress may have detrimental effects on different structures of the cells, such as the DNA. Recently, we have published a study demonstrating that N-Acetylcysteine amide (NACA) displayed anti-inflammatory properties on the brain after exposure to oxidative stress in an established neonatal piglet model, imitating perinatal asphyxia. As different clinical studies have shown an association between the severity of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and damage of the kidneys, we investigated a possible protective effect of NACA against H2O2-induced oxidative stress using a porcine epithelial-like embryonic kidney cell line (EFN-R). Objective: To investigate a potential protective effect of NACA on cells of a porcine embryonic kidney cell line exposed to H2O2. Methods: We subjected the cells to different concentrations of H2O2 for variable time periods, seeking the optimal dose-response for the experiments. Based on the results of these investigations, we exposed the cells to 100 μMol of H2O2 and/or 750 μM of NACA for 24 hours. Some of the cells would receive NACA either one hour before or one hour after exposure to H2O2. Results: The viability of the investigated EFN-R cells revealed that both, the group treated with NACA before exposure to H2O2 and the group treated with NACA after exposure to H2O2, exhibited significantly higher cell viability compared to the H2O2 group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). Discussion: The increased viability of the cells may indicate that NACA could play an important role in reducing oxidative stress. Taking the results from our previous study into consideration, our findings may strengthen the theory that NACA may have organ protective properties for neonates exposed to oxidative stress.

Evaluation of a Plasma hCG Method for Point of Care Testing with the Aim of Shortening Test-Turnaround-Times

Objective: To examine the correlation between plasma hCG results obtained with the new i-STAT&reg hCG point of care test with those concomitantly obtained from the central hospital laboratory utilizing the same patient samples. Methods: Prospective cross-sectional laboratory test evaluation. We compared plasma hCG results obtained with the i-STAT&reg hCG test (Abbott Point of Care, Princeton, NJ, USA) with Architect Ci8200 (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL, USA). We also calculated the total coefficient of variation (CV) for the i-STAT&reg method. Results: The two methods showed a good linear correlation (R2 = 0.994;slope 1.03) and CV for the i-STAT&reg method was 2.1% - 5.2%. Conclusion: We suggest that the i-STAT&reg hCG blood assay could be used as a complement to urine hCG assays in clinical situations when rapid test results are needed and urine is not available.