Early human development
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Early human development · Oct 1998
Increased serum concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors p55 and p75 in early onset neonatal sepsis.
Sepsis and pneumonia are major causes of morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period. The symptoms are variable and unspecific. So far, no reliable diagnostic test for neonatal infection has been found. ⋯ Levels of both p55 and p75 decreased in neonates with infection during the perinatal period. CRP was a more specific parameter than p55 and p75 (CRP: 97%, p55: 65% and p75: 75%) whereas the sensitivity of all three parameters was at similar levels (CRP: 59%, p55: 70% and p75: 67%). We conclude that assessment of sTNFR may not improve accuracy in the diagnosis of early onset neonatal sepsis compared to the use of CRP.
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Early human development · Oct 1998
Serial copper and ceruloplasmin levels in African newborns with emphasis on the sick and stable preterm infant, and their antioxidant capacities.
Literature on serum copper (Cu) and its antioxidant protein (ceruloplasmin) in the African newborn is infrequent, and more reports are evident from developed or affluent societies. We, therefore, studied longitudinally our newborns to delineate their Cu and ceruloplasmin (CLP) status. All infants were born between July 1st, 1991 and June 30th, 1992 at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria. ⋯ Newborns with serum Cu and CLP>0.2 micromol/ml and >2.3 micromol/dl, respectively, did not have a poor outcome. It is tempting to suggest that absent serum CLP activity may portend a poor prognosis. Our findings (number albeit small) could be taken as a preliminary normative data for further comparisons.