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Biomedical subjects

G Duc

Publications and source records attributed to G Duc.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Intravenous administration of human IgG to newborn infants: changes in serum antibody levels to group B streptococci.

A human IgG preparation was given intravenously to 36 newborn infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit because of suspected septicaemia. IgG was given as a single dose of 0.4 g/kg body weight. Patient serum was obtained immediately before and 30 min after terminating the infusion. Blood was also withdrawn 2 days after giving the IgG in eight of the infants. The sera were tested by radioimmunoassay for IgG antibody levels to surface antigens of group B streptococci (GBS) types Ia, Ib, II and III and to R-protein. The mean increases in anti-type Ia, Ib, II, III and R-protein antibodies 30 min after the end of infusion were 81%, 73%, 49%, 60% and 69% of the preinfusion levels, respectively. This was followed by a rapid decrease during the following 2 days to 25%-32% of the initial increases. Based on the above findings, a controlled trial of passive immunisation in the management of neonatal GBS septicaemia seems justified. The rapid decline in antibody levels would necessitate a second infusion 24 h after the initial immunoglobulin administration if the suspicion of septicaemia persists.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1984

EEG spectral power and coherence analysis in healthy full-term neonates.

Continuous, bipolar EEG recording was performed in nineteen healthy full-terms during quiet sleep (Q), REM sleep (R) and wakefulness (W). Spectral power was calculated for the bilateral fronto-central (FC), centro-parietal (CP), parieto-occipital (PO) and temporal (TT) derivations. Coherence was determined for the interhemispheric biFC, biCP, biPO and biTT locations, as well as for the left and right intrahemispheric FC-PO and TT-PO combinations. Power was highest in Q in the CP derivations at 0.4-12/s. Generally, power was higher in Q than in R. In most derivations, Q and R power ran parallel. W power behaviour was different. Up to 8/s, power in W was intermediate between Q and R power. From 10/s, it became highest, particularly in the TT and FC derivations. PO power was low. Highest coherence values occurred in the lowest frequencies. Up to 8/s, biFC, biCP and biPO interhemispheric coherences were highest in R and usually lowest during Q. In the alpha-beta range, highest coherences occurred during Q and lowest during R or W, without much variance between stages. BiPO coherences were remarkably high during all stages. BiTT and intrahemispheric coherences were low and less consistent. These data suggest high synchronization of theta-delta activity between biPO regions, particularly during R. We hypothesize active common generators of neonatal theta-delta activity in the posterior regions, indicating less autonomy and more interdependent behaviour of these areas especially during R.

Cerebral Cortex↗
PubMed1984

Human IgG antibodies to carbohydrate and protein antigens in mouse protection tests with group B streptococci.

The protective effect of four commercial human gammaglobulin batches (I-IV) in mice was studied using six different strains of group B streptococci (GBS): types Ia; Ib; II, R-protein negative (R-); II, R+; III, R-; and III, R+. Each mouse received 1.0 ml gammaglobulin and 0.5 ml bacteria, 10(6)-10(8) colony forming units (CFU). There was a close correlation between antibody levels measured by the use of radiolabeled protein A and the mouse-protective effect of the gamma-globulins. The mouse-protection tests demonstrated that batch I protected against GBS types Ia and III, R- at low concentration (65 mg/kg mouse weight), against type Ib at medium (260 mg/kg) and against type III, R+ at high concentration. Batch IV protected against types Ia and Ib, although the doses were four times higher than those in batch I, but did not protect against type III, R+. There was no mouse protection by any of the batches against type II. Antibody levels against Ibc and R, protein antigens, were substantially lower in batch IV. Because the results of these mouse-protection studies indicate the importance of such antibodies against protein antigens, batches I-III might be more useful for therapy of neonatal GBS-septicemia.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

[Neonatal Streptococcus group B sepsis: problems of early diagnosis, therapy and prevention].

38 cases of neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) sepsis (31 with early onset and 7 with late onset) were observed during the years 1976-1982. Early onset disease showed the following clinical characteristics: 1. frequent lack of risk factors for infection in obstetric history, 2. very early onset of symptoms of respiratory distress, 3. rapid development of shock after only minor or missing clinical signs of infection, and 4. unspecific findings on chest radiography. Neutropenia or marked leukocyte left shift as well as the presence of gram-positive cocci in gastric or tracheal aspirate proved to be useful diagnostic clues. The latex agglutination test for the detection of GBS-antigen in urine yielded in our hands many false positive results and unspecific reactions. Given the big difficulties of early diagnosis of early onset GBS-sepsis, the relatively liberal use of antibiotics in newborns with respiratory distress is probably unavoidable. Hereby prior culturing of blood and early termination of antibiotic therapy with negative cultures (of blood, CSF, tracheal aspirate) seems essential to us. The clinical significance of newer therapeutic (granulocyte transfusions, exchange transfusions, immunoglobulins) and prophylactic (intra-partum antibiotics, vaccination) modalities is according to the current literature still not clear in many respects.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1983

Arterial cord blood hypoxanthine: a measure of intrauterine hypoxia?

In order to evaluate the concentration of hypoxanthine in the cord blood as an indicator of intrauterine hypoxia, hypoxanthine was determined in the arterial and venous cord blood of 49 randomly chosen newborns and in the peripheral venous blood of their mothers. In addition, 5 young, nonpregnant women were investigated. Term babies with signs of probable intrauterine hypoxia (fetal distress, scalp blood or arterial cord blood pH less than 7.19, and/or Apgar score of less than 5 at 1 min) had hypoxanthine levels (19.8 +/- 3.5 mumol/l) consistently above the mean for normals. However, there was a large variability of hypoxanthine values in normal babies (16.1 +/- 5.7 mumol/l) and in those with isolated signs of fetal distress (14.6 +/- 6.9 mumol/l). There was no general correlation between the levels of hypoxanthine in arterial cord blood and arterial cord blood pH (r = -0.15) or between the levels of hypoxanthine in arterial cord blood and the Apgar score at 1 min (r = -0.05) or between the levels of hypoxanthine in arterial cord blood and the Apgar score at 1 min (r = -0.05). At delivery, all mothers had higher levels of hypoxanthine than nonpregnant women (16.0 +/- 6.8 vs. 7.6 +/- 2.1 mumol/l; p less than 0.001). The maternal hypoxanthine values correlated closely with those of the venous cord blood (r = 0.72; p less than 0.001). Positive arterio-venous differences in the cord blood increased with progressively higher levels of hypoxanthine in arterial cord blood (r = 0.53; p less than 0.001), indicating a clearance through the placenta.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Transient EEG patterns during sleep in healthy newborns.

24 healthy full-term newborns underwent polygraphic recordings of EEG, EMG, EOG, ECG, abdominal and thoracic respiration during day-time-sleep. Transient EEG patterns (rhythmic alpha and beta activity, spikes/sharp waves and frontal sharp transients) were visually evaluated and quantified. Rhythmic alpha activity is not very prominent. It is found in all states of sleep and appears only as scattered waves and interrupted sequences. Their duration varies from 1 to 5 sec. Rhythmic beta activity is a feature of quiet and active-REM sleep, repeatedly in spindle-shaped formations. "Typical" sleep spindle activity, however, is very rare. In a few cases rhythmic beta activity also appears in the form of the delta brush pattern. Spikes/sharp waves are sporadic in appearance, non-repetitive in nature and occur mostly multifocal with parietal predominance. They are more frequent in quiet sleep (1 per 2.3 min on average) than in active-REM sleep (1 per 18 min), and were rare in transitional states of sleep (1 per hour). "Frontal sharp transients" show great variations of configuration. They occur most frequently in quiet sleep. Often they appear only unilaterally. Their voltage maximum is frontal, fronto-temporal or praecentral. They are more frequent in REM sleep after wakefulness than after quiet sleep. The individual as well as the sleep-state related frequencies of spike/sharp waves and "frontal sharp transients" tend to differ widely with a range of a factor 10. In some of the newborns these graphoelements are not observed at all during certain sleep phases.

Electroencephalography↗
PubMed1980

Evaluation of perinatal growth. Presentation of combined intra- and extrauterine growth standards for weight, length and head circumference.

The evaluation of perinatal growth requires different approaches depending on the chronological age of the infant. Basically, three periods of perinatal growth are to be distinguished: Intrauterine period: Growth during this period can be estimated by intrauterine growth standards representing fetal growth parameters at birth. Transitional period: Growth during the first 6 to 12 days of life is of transitional nature. It is characterized by large individual variations and does not follow any growth standards. Extrauterine period: After the 6th to 12th day of life growth rates are distinctly higher than those of intrauterine growth. Thus, intrauterine growth standards can not be applied to extrauterine growth, and separate growth standards are required to evaluate growth during this period. In this article combined intra- and extrauterine growth standards for weight, length and head circumference in boys and girls between 28 weeks of gestation and 8 weeks after term are presented. These growth standards are based on the Winterthur Newborn Study (1962-1974) and the Second Zurich Longitudinal Study (1974-1980).

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1980

Necrotising enterocolitis and neuraminidase-producing bacteria.

In 9 out of 26 newborns with necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) exposure of the Thomsen-cryptantigen (T-antigen), probably due to the action of circulating bacterial neuraminidase, was demonstrated on red blood cells. The serological titres seemed to correlate with the clinical course of the disease. Neuraminidase-producing clostridia were isolated in two of the patients. Reaction between the exposed T-antigen and anti-T-agglutinins, normally present in human blood, may lead to difficulties during blood transfusion. This potential transfusion hazard is best avoided by routine T-antigen-tests and by transfusion of packed or washed red blood cells to T-antigen-positive patients.

Antibody Specificity↗
PubMed1979

Low urinary estriol during pregnancy caused by isolated fetal ACTH-deficiency.

In a 34-year-old pregnant woman, serum HPL and urinary HCG were normal, but urinary estriol was repeatedly low. A normal boy was delivered after 38 week gestation. During the neonatal period, he had hypoglycemia, muscular hypotonia and transient hyperbilirubinemia. The ACTH-test was normal, but the THS-response to metyrapone was low. Serum ACTH did not respond to insulin and metyrapone. Growth hormone, TSH and gonadotropin responses to stimuli were normal. Treatment with hydrocortisone resulted in disappearance of the symptoms. It is concluded that fetal ACTH-deficiency is one of the specific endocrine causes of low maternal estriol.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗