Assessment of iron status and red cell parameters in healthy full term small for gestational age neonates at birth

Effects of latent iron deficiency on auditory neural maturation during early infancy in infants above 35 weeks' gestation

BACKGROUND

Latent iron deficiency (LID) at birth is associated with prolonged latencies in auditory brainstem response (ABR), a surrogate for neural maturation. This study aimed to compare wave and inter-peak latencies of ABR at birth and at 4-6 months of age in infants ≥35 weeks of gestation with normal iron status (NIS) and LID.

METHODS

Neonates born at ≥35 weeks were screened. Cord ferritin value ≤ 75 ng/mL and >75 ng/mL were classified as LID and NIS, respectively. ABR was performed within 48 h of birth. The absolute latencies of waves I, III, and V, and inter-peak latencies I-III, III-V, and I-V were computed. Infants were reassessed at 4-6 months of age for hemoglobin, serum ferritin levels, and ABR latencies.

RESULTS

In total, 160 neonates were enrolled. The mean (SD) birth weight and gestational age of the study population were 2843 (384) g and 38.3 (1.1) weeks, respectively. Approximately 122 infants completed follow-up until 4-6 months of age: 37 in the LID group and 85 in the NIS group. Overall, the wave and interpeak latencies in both groups at birth were comparable. At 4-6 months, the absolute latencies of waves I, III, and V, and inter-peak latencies I-III, III-V, and I-V were decreased and were comparable in both groups. Among small-for-gestational-age neonates, inter-peak latencies in I-III and I-V at birth were significantly longer in the LID group than in the NIS group. Nine (24.3%) infants in the LID group and none in the NIS group were iron-deficient at 4-6 months of age.

CONCLUSION

There was no difference in wave or inter-peak latencies at birth and at 4-6 months of age in neonates aged ≥35 weeks with or without LID. However, infants with LID at birth have a significant risk of iron deficiency at 4-6 months of age. CTRI/2017/08/009379 (www.ctri.nic.in).

Neonatal carnitine concentrations in relation to gestational age and weight

BACKGROUND

Free carnitine has been measured in the Dutch newborn screening (NBS) program since 2007 with a referral threshold of ≤5 μmol/L, regardless of gestational age or birthweight. However, several studies suggest that carnitine concentrations may depend on gestational age and birthweight. We evaluated differences in postnatal day-to-day carnitine concentrations in newborns based on gestational age (GA) and/or weight for GA (WfGA).

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed using data from the Dutch NBS. Dried blood spot (DBS) carnitine concentrations, collected between the 3rd and 10th day of life, of nearly 2 million newborns were included. Individuals were grouped based on GA and WfGA. Median carnitine concentrations were calculated for each group. Mann-Whitney U tests, and chi-square tests were applied to test for significant differences between groups.

RESULTS

Preterm, postterm, and small for GA (SGA) newborns have higher carnitine concentrations at the third day of life compared to term newborns. The median carnitine concentration of preterm newborns declines from day 3 onwards, and approximates that of term newborns at the sixth day of life, while median concentrations of postterm and SGA newborns remain elevated at least throughout the first 10 days of life. Carnitine concentrations ≤5 μmol/L were found less frequently in SGA newborns and newborns born between 32 and 37 weeks of gestation, compared to term newborns.

CONCLUSIONS

Median carnitine concentrations in NBS DBS vary with day of sampling, GA, and WfGA. It is important to take these variables into account when interpreting NBS results..

Hepcidin, Serum Iron, and Transferrin Saturation in Full-Term and Premature Infants during the First Month of Life: A State-of-the-Art Review of Existing Evidence in Humans

Neonates regulate iron at birth and in early postnatal life. We reviewed literature from PubMed and Ovid Medline containing data on umbilical cord and venous blood concentrations of hepcidin and iron, and transferrin saturation (TSAT), in human neonates from 0 to 1 mo of age. Data from 59 studies were used to create reference ranges for hepcidin, iron, and TSAT for full-term-birth (FTB) neonates over the first month of life. In FTB neonates, venous hepcidin increases 100% over the first month of life (to reach 61.1 ng/mL; 95% CI: 20.1, 102.0 ng/mL) compared with umbilical cord blood (29.7 ng/mL; 95% CI: 21.1, 38.3 ng/mL). Cord blood has a high concentration of serum iron (28.4 μmol/L; 95% CI: 26.0, 31.1 μmol/L) and levels of TSAT (51.7%; 95% CI: 46.5%, 56.9%). After a short-lived immediate postnatal hypoferremia, iron and TSAT rebounded to approximately half the levels in the cord by the end of the first month. There were insufficient data to formulate reference ranges for preterm neonates.

Red cell distribution width as a potential prognostic biomarker in fetal growth restriction

OBJECTIVE

Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a prognostic marker for adverse outcomes in cardiovascular disease. This association has been attributed to the impaired erythropoiesis and abnormal red blood cell survival originating from chronic hypoxic status or poor nutrition. Considering the pathophysiologic association between fetal growth restriction (FGR) and chronic intrauterine hypoxia, which in turn can result in impaired erythropoiesis, RDW could be a biomarker in FGR. To address this issue, we evaluated the RDW in FGR.

STUDY DESIGN

The study population consisted of singleton preterm neonates (24-34 weeks of gestation) and RDW in cord blood was measured at delivery, and was compared between small-for-gestational age (SGA) neonates (birthweight <10 percentile) and non-SGA neonates (birthweight >10 percentile). Among them, RDW was also examined according to the adverse neonatal outcomes.

RESULTS

Five hundred eighty-four neonates were included, of these, 117 SGA neonates and 467 non-SGA neonates. RDW in the SGA neonates was significantly higher than that in the non-SGA neonates (18.4 versus 16.4, p < .001). This association between SGA and RDW remained significant after adjustment for gestational age at delivery, histologic chorioamnionitis, and hematologic parameters. Among the SGA neonates, RDW was higher in neonates with adverse neonatal outcomes than those without them. The RDW >90 percentile was an independent parameter for the prediction of neonatal outcomes, even after adjustment.

CONCLUSION

The RDW was higher in the SGA neonates and was associated with adverse outcomes. RDW can be a prognostic marker in predicting outcomes among preterm neonates.

Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW): Normative Data in Indian Neonates

Red cell distribution width (RDW) is altered because of prematurity and fetal growth restriction (FGR). We conducted a prospective observational study to determine normal RDW values in Indian neonates (N=964) with significant FGR. Mean RDW values in preterm neonates were higher than term neonates (P<0.0004). The RDW values in Indian neonates (with significant FGR) were higher than their western counterparts (P<0.0001). The mean RDW values for different gestational ages in Indian neonates are higher than those observed in other studies. This could be attributable to the FGR component among Indian neonates.

Early versus delayed cord clamping in small for gestational age infants and iron stores at 3 months of age - a randomized controlled trial

Background

Delayed cord clamping is the standard of care in infants not requiring resuscitation; however effects of cord clamping strategies have not been evaluated systematically in small for gestational age (SGA) infants. The primary objective was to compare effects of delayed cord clamping (DCC) and early cord clamping (ECC) on serum ferritin at 3 months in SGA infants born at ≥35 weeks. The secondary objectives were to compare hematological parameters, clinical outcomes in neonatal period and growth at 3 months of age.

Methods

All eligible infants with fetal growth restriction were randomized to two groups, DCC at 60 s or ECC group in which the cord was clamped immediately after birth.

Results

Total of 142 infants underwent randomization and subsequently 113 infants underwent definite inclusion. At 3 months, the median (IQR) serum ferritin levels were higher in DCC group, compared to ECC; 86 ng/ml (43.35–134.75) vs 50.5 ng/ml (29.5–83.5), p = 0.01. Fewer infants had iron deficiency in DCC group compared to ECC group; 9 (23.6%) vs 21 (47.7%), p = 0.03 [NNT being 4; 95% CI (2–25)].The proportion of infants with polycythemia was significantly higher in DCC group; 23 (41.81) % vs 12 (20.6%), p = 0.01. There was no difference in proportion of infants with symptomatic polycythemia or those who underwent partial exchange transfusions. Clinical outcomes and mortality were similar.

Conclusions

DCC improves iron stores in SGA infants ≥35 weeks at 3 months of age without increasing the risk of symptomatic polycythemia, need for partial exchange transfusions or morbidities associated with polycythemia.

Trial registration

Our trial was retrospectively registered on 29th May 2015 through Clinical trials registry India. Registration number: CTRI 2015/05/005828.

Relationship Between being Overweight and Iron Deficiency in Adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Being overweight has been considered to be a risk factor of iron deficiency (ID). The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between being overweight and body iron status among Taiwanese adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 2099 adolescents (1327 female) aged 12-19 years from four middle schools and one college in southern Taiwan participated in this study. Data on sex, age, body weight, height, hemoglobin concentration, plasma ferritin (PF), and serum iron (SI) levels were collected. According to the age- and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) percentiles, the participants were divided into four weight groups: underweight (<5(th) percentile), normal weight (5-84(th) percentile), overweight (85-94(th) percentile), and obese (≥95(th) percentile). A multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (CI) for each factor.

RESULTS

The correlation coefficients of linear regression were positive for BMI-hemoglobin and BMI-PF, but negative for BMI-SI. Compared with the normal-weight group, the obese group had a lower risk of PF level <15 μg/L with an OR (95% CI) of 0.51 (0.30-0.87) but a higher risk of SI <60 μg/dL with an OR (95% CI) of 1.78 (1.34-2.37). The percentages of low PF declined as BMI increased, but the percentages of low SI rose, from underweight to obesity groups.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between being overweight and depleted iron store depends on which indicator is used to define the iron deficiency. Being overweight or obese would not be a risk factor of ID in adolescents, if ID were defined by PF rather than SI level.

Reduced red blood cell count predicts poor survival after surgery in patients with primary liver cancer

Currently, the optimal therapy of primary liver cancer (PLC) remains to be hepatic resection. For better management of the patients, we evaluated the prognostic predicting value of red blood cell (RBC) count, a routine laboratory parameter, on the long-term survival of patients who underwent surgical treatment. Clinical and laboratory data of 758 patients, who underwent surgical hepatic resection, were retrospectively studied by χ2 tests and logistic regression. All patients were enrolled at Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, China, from February 2009 to July 2013, and none of them received any other treatments before surgery. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the influence of RBC counts on patients' survival. The Cox univariate and multivariate analyses showed that preoperative RBC count was an independent risk factor of poor prognosis after surgical treatment. The Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the overall survival (OS) of patients without reduced preoperative RBC counts was significantly better than those patients with reduced preoperative RBC counts (P < 0.001). Concordantly, compared with the patients with either reduced preoperative and/or postoperative RBC counts, patients without reduced RBC counts preferred to be low Child-Pugh grades (P = 0.0065), which implies a better hepatic function. In addition, low RBC count was found to be significantly associated with patients of female (P = 0.003), younger age (P =  < 0.001), and with higher AST/ALT ratio (P = 0.005). This study revealed that patients with preoperative RBC counts lower than normal had worse OS rates than those without reduced preoperative RBC counts, perhaps due to the significant correlation of reduced preoperative RBC count to patients' worse Child-Pugh grade that reflect the loss of liver functions.