American journal of perinatology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Gum chewing slightly enhances early recovery from postoperative ileus after cesarean section: results of a prospective, randomized, controlled trial.
Postoperative ileus is one of the common problems after abdominal surgeries. It contributes to delayed recovery and prolongs hospital stay. Sham feeding, such as gum chewing, may accelerate return of bowel function and reduce morbidity and length of hospital stay. ⋯ Gum chewing was easily tolerated without any complications. Gum chewing is an inexpensive, convenient, and physiological method in enhancing the recovery of bowel function. But this may not facilitate early hospital discharge, lactation, or defecation.
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We investigated pCO(2) patterns and the relationship between pCO(2) levels and neurodevelopmental outcome in term infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Blood gases during the first 72 hours of life were collected from 52 infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Moderate hypocapnia (pCO(2) <3.3 kPa), severe hypocapnia (pCO(2) <2.6 kPa), and hypercapnia (pCO(2) >6.6 kPa) were correlated to neurodevelopmental outcome at 24 months. ⋯ In conclusion, only one in nine newborns had normocapnia throughout the first 72 hours. Severe hypocapnia was rare and occurred only in ventilated babies. Hypercapnia and hypocapnia in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy during the first 72 hours of life were not associated with adverse outcome.
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We sought to determine cytokine response in term and late preterm newborn infants on phototherapy. Twenty newborn infants with gestational age > or = 35 weeks and birth weight > or = 2000 g in the first week of life had serum interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha measured immediately prior to and after 24 hours on phototherapy. Exclusion criteria were newborns with severe congenital malformations, congenital infections, birth asphyxia, sepsis, hemolytic anemia that required blood transfusion, maternal-infant Rh incompatibility and those who required exchange transfusion or intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for hyperbilirubinemia. ⋯ There were no statistical differences in IL-8, IL-10, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha concentrations before and after 24 hours on phototherapy. There was a statistically significant correlation between IL-6 decline and irradiance (r = 0.57, p = 0.009). The finding that serum IL-6 decreases in newborn under phototherapy suggests that phototherapy possibly has an anti-inflammatory effect, although the clinical implications of this study deserve further studies.