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Biomedical subjects

Geeta Gathwala

Publications and source records attributed to Geeta Gathwala.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Magnesium therapy in birth asphyxia.

OBJECTIVE: Glutamate plays a critical role in the hypoxic ischaemic neuronal death. Two mechanisms of glutamate- induced neuronal death have been identified. One is rapid cell death that occurs in minutes and the second is delayed cell death that occurs over hours and is initiated principally by the activation of the N-methyl D-Aspactate (NMDA) receptor. Magnesium (Mg) is an NMDA receptor blocker. Systemic administration of Mg after a simulated hypoxic ischaemic insult has been shown to limit neuronal injury in several animal models. However, before embarking on to the use of Mg for neuronal protection in the human neonate it is important to study the safety and side effects of Mg administration. METHODS: Forty terms, appropriate for gestational age babies with severe birth asphyxia (1 min Apgar score < 3 and 5 min Apgar score < 6), were randomly assigned to either the study group or the control group. Infants in both groups were treated as per unit protocol except that babies in the study group received intravenous injection of magnesium sulphate 250 mg/kg within half an hour of birth and subsequently 125 mg/kg at 24 and 48 hours of life. RESULTS: The mean cord blood serum Mg levels were 0.78 (+/- 0.047) mmol/L in the control group and 0.779(+/-0.045) mmol/L in the study group. The serum Mg levels at 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours of life were 1.87(+/-0.6), 1.65(+/-0.059), 1.468 (+/-0.91), 1.881 (+/- 0.053), 1.916 (+/- 0.053) and 1.493 (+/- 0.084) mmol/L respectively in the study group. All these values were significantly higher than those obtained in the control group (p< 0.001). No significant alterations in heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and mean arterial pressure were seen, following magnesium infusion with either 250 mg/kg or 125 mg/kg dose. The serum Mg levels in the study group ranged between 1.493 (+/- 0.084) and 1.916(+/-0.053) mmol/L, which are considered to be in the neuroprotective range. CONCLUSION: Injection MgSO4 administered in a dose of 250 mg/kg and 125 mg/kg as an intravenous infusion is safe and the Mg levels obtained are in the range considered to be neuroprotective.

Asphyxia Neonatorum↗
PubMed2004

Aztreonam.

Aztreonam belongs to the monobactam group of naturally occurring antibiotic compounds characterized by a monocycling ring structure. Aztreonam is the first monobactam that has been approved for use in pediatric medicine by US FDA in the year 1998.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2003

Multicystic encephalomalacia.

Antepartum death of a fetus in a multiple gestation can be associated with mortality or major morbidity in the survivor. This article reports a rare case of multicystic encephalomalacia that occurred in the survivor twin with antepartum death of its co-twin. Its pathology and pathogenesis are discussed with review of literature.

Brain↗
PubMed2003

Agenesis of the right lobe of liver.

Congenital anomalies involving the lobes of the liver are rare. Hypoplasia and agenesis occur more often in the left lobe. Agenesis of the right lobe is a rare anomaly with only about 42 cases reported in literature. In this communique we report one such case of agenesis of the right lobe of liver. A brief review of literature is made and its diagnosis and differential diagnosis are discussed.

Child↗
PubMed2003

Neonatal adrenal hemorrhage with intraperitoneal spill managed conservatively.

A neonate presented with anemia, hyperbilirubinemia and bilateral flank fullness at 23 days of age. Ultrasound abdomen showed bilateral adrenal hemorrhage with intraperitoneal extension on the left side. This was managed nonoperatively and the hematoma resolved completely. Literature regarding this rare entity is described.

Adrenal Gland Diseases↗
PubMed2003

Bronchoesophageal fistula in a neonate: radionuclide study as diagnostic modality.

A neonate with H-type fistula between esophagus and right bronchus is described. He presented with an uncommon symptom of hypersialosis. The fistula was missed both at cinesophagogram and endoscopy, the modalities currently held as investigations of choice for the diagnosis of this entity. Instead it was incidentally picked up by radionuclide study undertaken to rule out dyskinesia or gross gastroesophageal reflux, which demonstrated the tract unequivocally. To the best of our knowledge this modality has not been used earlier for this purpose. The authors feel that although persistence in attempts to demonstrate the tract preoperatively is important, radionuclide study can also be considered as a diagnostic tool in difficult cases.

Bronchial Fistula↗
PubMed2002

Selenium in the neonate.

Selenium is a trace element of tremendous importance in human health. It is a constituent of the antioxidant enzyme. Glutathione peroxidase and therefore is vital to antioxidant defense. Several diseases of the neonate have been shown to be caused at least in part by oxygen free radicals. These include bronchopulmonary dysplasia retinopathy of prematurity necrotising enterocolitis patient ductus arteriosus and neuronal injury of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Good selenium nutrition is therefore of key importance to antioxidant defense in the neonate. The communique reviews the important role that selenium might play in neonatal health & disease.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2002

Neural-tube defect in dizygotic twins.

Despite the strong association between twinning and neural-tube defects (NTD), concordance of twins with NTDs is very rare. A case of concordant NTDs in dizygotic twins is reported in view of its extreme rarity.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Phototherapy induces oxidative stress in premature neonates.

BACKGROUND: Phototherapy is a widely used treatment modality for unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in newborn infants. We investigated whether phototherapy leads to oxidative stress in preterm newborns. METHODS: Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBRS) were measured in the blood of 30 icteric preterm newborn infants, before and after 96 hours of continuous blue-light phototherapy. The mean (SD) gestational age was 32.3 (1.8) weeks and birth weight was 1606 (288) grams. The mean age of onset of jaundice was 44 (21.4) hours. RESULTS: The maximum total serum bilirubin was 14.6 (1.5) mg/dL and that after phototherapy was 8.6 (0.8) mg/dL. TBRS levels after phototherapy were significantly higher than those before phototherapy (11.4 [2.9] vs. 6.9 [2.2] nmol/L; [p<0.001]). CONCLUSION: Blue-light phototherapy induces an oxidative stress in preterm neonates.

Bilirubin↗