Biomedical subjects

Ruth Shainkin-Kestenbaum

Publications and source records attributed to Ruth Shainkin-Kestenbaum.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Early physical activity intervention prevents decrease of bone strength in very low birth weight infants.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of early range-of-motion intervention on bone strength and bone turnover in very low birth weight infants. METHODS: Twenty-four infants (mean birth weight: 1135 +/- 247 g; mean gestational age: 28.5 +/- 2.3 weeks) were matched for gestational age and birth weight and then randomly assigned into exercise (n = 12) and control (n = 12) groups. Exercise protocol started at the first week of life and involved daily extension and flexion range of motion against passive resistance of the upper and lower extremities (5 minutes per day, 5 days per week, 4 weeks). Growth parameters, bone strength, and biochemical markers of bone homeostasis were measured at enrollment and after 4 weeks. Bone strength was determined using quantitative ultrasound measurement of bone speed of sound (SOS) at the middle left tibial shaft. RESULTS: Bone SOS decreased significantly in the control group during the study period (from 2892 +/- 30 m/sec to 2799 +/- 26), whereas bone SOS of the exercise group remained stable (2825 +/- 32 m/sec and 2827 +/- 26 m/sec at baseline and 4 weeks, respectively). This significant difference in bone SOS was not expressed in the biochemical markers of bone homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant postnatal decrease in the bone SOS of very low birth weight infants. A brief range-of-motion exercise attenuates the decrease in bone strength and may decrease the risk of osteopenia.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

PubMed2002

Serum amyloid A protein in the early detection of late-onset bacterial sepsis in preterm infants.

In order to evaluate serum amyloid A as an early diagnostic marker of late-onset sepsis, seventy-nine preterm infants with clinically suspected sepsis and 40 healthy matched controls were assayed for serum amyloid A. In parallel, clinical and biochemical variables that are used to evaluate neonatal sepsis were compared. Forty-two episodes were diagnosed as sepsis. Serum amyloid A levels were elevated in the sepsis group (187.6 +/- 78.3 micrograms/ml), compared with infants who had no sepsis (10.2 +/- 8.3 micrograms/ml) and the control group (6.9 +/- 3.3 micrograms/ml), and were significantly higher in gram-negative compared to gram-positive sepsis (221.8 +/- 84.4 micrograms/ml vs. 48.5 +/- 22.2 micrograms/ml). Analysis of the data suggests serum amyloid A has the highest sensitivity (100%), specificity (93%) and positive predictive value (96%) for sepsis among the clinical and biochemical parameters that were tested. In conclusion, serum amyloid A seems to be a reliable early marker for the diagnosis of late-onset sepsis in preterm infants.

Bacteremia↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effects of exercise on body weight and circulating leptin in premature infants.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of daily movements on weight gain, serum leptin, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in premature infants. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty very-low-birth-weight premature infants were matched and randomized to a daily movement (n = 10) and control groups (n = 10). Daily movement consisted of passive range of motion with gentle compression of both the upper and lower extremities 5 days per week for 4 weeks. RESULTS: Daily movements led to a significant increase in weight gain (784 +/- 51 vs 608 +/- 26 g in movements and controls, respectively, p < 0.02), and to a significant increase in leptin (0.60 +/- 0.19 vs 0.13 +/- 0.06 ng/ml in movements and controls, respectively 18.8 +/- 4.1 vs 9.2 +/- 4.1 ng/ml in movements and controls, respectively); however, this increase was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: A relatively brief range of motion daily movement intervention was associated with greater weight gain and increased leptin levels in very-low-birth-weight premature infants. This may suggest that at least part of the daily movements associated with increase in body weight resulted from an increase in adipose tissue.

Bone Density↗