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Clinical use of the LH-RH in assessing gonadotropic reserve in children with idiopathic precocious puberty, premature thelarche and premature adrenarche.

Serum LH and FSH were assayed in 31 girls with normal pre puberty, precocious puberty, premature thelarche, and premature adrenarche, aged 2 to 9 years. The effect of synthetic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) on serum gonadotropins was evaluated in eleven of them. In all girls with precocious puberty, serum LH was increased up to high levels. The mean releasable LH in two girls with idiopathic precocious puberty was significantly greater than in normal prepubertal or pubertal children. Basal FSH in children with precocious puberty was within the limits of normal prepuberal children, and FSH secretion in response to LH-RH was not significantly greater than in the group of normal prepubertal and pubertal girls. In children with premature thelarche and premature adrenarche, basal levels of LH and FSH, as well as gonadotropin response to LH-RH were in the prepubertal range. These preliminary results show that the LH-RH test might be of clinical value in differenitating abnormal puberal development.

Age Factors↗

Prospective randomized study of corticosteroids in the management of premature rupture of the membranes and the premature gestation.

A prospective randomized study involving patients with premature rupture of the membranes between the twenty-eighth week and the thirty-fourth week of pregnancy was conducted. Patients with chorioamnionitis, advanced labor, and fetal distress, as well as those with mature lecithin/sphingomyelin ratios and/or Gram stains positive for bacteria, were delivered immediately. The remaining patients were randomized. One group received betamethasone. Tocolytic agents were used in this group when necessary. After 48 hours all patients given corticosteroids (CS group) were delivered). The second group was managed expectantly (EM group) and were delivered only when spontaneous labor or infection occurred. A total of 160 patients were randomized, 80 in each group. Maternal outcome, including chorioamnionitis and cesarean section rates, was not different; however, the endometritis rate was significantly higher in the CS group (p less than 0.05). Neonatal outcome did not differ in mean birth weights, perinatal death rates, neonatal infections, or incidences of respiratory distress. The frequency of prolonged hospital stay (greater than 4 weeks) was higher in the neonates in the CS group (p less than 0.01). The conclusion is that corticosteroids and active management in patients with premature rupture of the membranes and premature gestations do not decrease the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome or perinatal mortality and may aggravate certain infectious complications.

Adolescent↗

Outcome of prematurity and retinopathy of prematurity.

Retinopathy of prematurity is a disease that manifests soon after birth in the premature infant and may lead to a lifelong disability. More infants at risk for developing the retinopathy are surviving, and the ophthalmologist must be aware of possible vision abnormalities, such as decreased acuity, strabismus, nystagmus, retinal scarring, and retinal detachment, that occur during childhood and in adult life. These abnormalities may occur in children who developed only mild forms of retinopathy of prematurity during early life.

Adult↗

Follow-up study on premature infants with and without retinopathy of prematurity.

The ocular complications in population of 131 premature infants, with and without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) are reported. An increased incidence of strabismus (20% with ROP and 25% without ROP) and myopia (27.5% with ROP and 8.8% without ROP) was shown. Significant visual loss occurred in 10.7% overall, increasing to 35% with stage 3 disease and 100% with stage 4. With the increased survival rate of premature infants, the relevance to future management of this expanding group of young people is considered.

Birth Weight↗

Efficacy of sucrose to reduce pain in premature infants during eye examinations for retinopathy of prematurity.

BACKGROUND: Eye examinations for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) are painful to the neonate. The use of topical anesthetic for eye examinations to evaluate ROP is routine in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), but does not completely suppress painful responses. Sweet solutions have been shown to reduce procedural pain in newborns. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the addition of sucrose 24% to topical anesthetic improves procedural pain control during the ROP eye examination. METHODS: Neonates born at < or = 30 weeks' gestation were included in this placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study. Patients were randomly assigned to receive treatment with either proparacaine HCl ophthalmic solution 0.5% plus 2 mL of sucrose 24% or proparacaine HCl ophthalmic solution 0.5% plus 2 mL of sterile water (placebo) prior to an eye examination. In a subsequent eye examination, each patient received the alternate treatment. Oral sucrose and sterile water were prepared in the pharmacy in identical syringes, and physicians, nurses, and pharmacists in the NICU were blinded to the treatment given. Pain was measured using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) scoring system, which measures both physical and physiologic measures of pain, and the scores were simultaneously assessed by 2 study nurses. PIPP scores were recorded 1 and 5 minutes before and after the eye examination and during initial placement of the eye speculum. The same ophthalmologist performed all eye examinations. Several different definitions of a pain response were investigated. RESULTS: Twenty-three infants were studied, with 12 receiving sucrose and 11 receiving placebo as the first treatment. For 3 of the 5 definitions of pain response, patients experienced significantly less pain at speculum insertion with sucrose than with placebo. After the ROP examination, pain responses were similar with either sucrose or placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Oral sucrose may reduce the immediate pain response in premature infants undergoing eye examination for ROP.

Administration, Oral↗

Prematures with and without regressed retinopathy of prematurity: comparison of long-term (6-10 years) ophthalmological morbidity.

Forty-two ex-prematures having had regressed forms of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) during the neonatal period were compared with 42 matched non-ROP ex-premature controls at ages 6 to 10 years. The overall incidence of ophthalmologic problems was 55% in the ROP and 36% in the non-ROP group. Strabismus, amblyopia, and refraction anomalies occurred more frequently in the ROP group. In this group, a significantly greater number of children had decreased vision in one or both eyes compared to the non-ROP group. Although the incidence of ophthalmologic problems in the ROP group was considerably higher, the incidence in the non-ROP group still turned out unexpectedly high. this implicates that non-ROP very low birth weight neonates should also be considered to be at a greatly increased risk for later visual problems. Regular ocular examinations, mandatory for the ROP group, thus should be included in follow-up programs of non-ROP very low birthweight neonates as well.

Amblyopia↗

[Retinopathy of prematurity--ophthalmologic care at units for premature infants in type I and II hospitals].

The author assessed by means of questionnaires organizational aspects of ophthalmological care of premature infants in departments for premature infants in type I and II hospitals. He discusses therapeutic possibilities of children with developing retinopathies of the premature in these departments. In the conclusion he emphasizes that from the organizational aspect consultant services at this level are ensured in a satisfactory way. The actual professional standard cannot be evaluated from questionnaires.

Humans↗

[Reflex labor induction in premature labor complicated by premature rupture of fetal membranes].

Labor induction in impending premature delivery complicated by premature rupture of the membranes is controversial. Problems arise both with choice of a mode of delivery and induction manoeuvres to be used in biologically premature delivery. The paper addresses the results with a reflex method of labor induction based on transcutaneous electroneurostimulation (TENS). An appropriate TENS regimen was found to be a highly efficient method of labor induction allowing one to reduce the incidence of perinatal complications.

Adolescent↗

Total complement activity in maternal sera, amniotic fluids and cord sera in women with premature labor, premature rupture of membranes or chorioamnionitis.

Total hemolytic complement activity (CH50) was determined in maternal sera, amniotic fluids or cord sera, or all, from 119 patients with preterm uterine contractions, premature rupture of membranes or chorioamnionitis, or all, at 24 to 40 weeks of gestation. The mean CH50 of maternal sera exceeded the mean CH50 of both amniotic fluids and cord sera. The mean CH50 of amniotic fluids exceeded that of cord sera and increased significantly at 32 weeks. This rise preceded that of the mean CH50 of cord sera, which occurred at a fetal weight of approximately 2,500 grams. The mean CH50 of amniotic fluids varied significantly and inversely with that of cord sera. The levels of CH50 in these three fluids did not distinguish between patients with preterm uterine contractions who delivered prematurely and those who delivered at term. The CH50 in patients with premature rupture of membranes did not differ from a control population of women with uncomplicated pregnancies. The mean CH50 of maternal sera was increased in patients with chorioamnionitis but was not predictive of chorioamnionitis. The mean CH50 of maternal sera was decreased in patients who smoked cigarettes and in patients who received intravenous ritodrine.

Amniotic Fluid↗

Magnesium therapy decreased the rate of intrauterine fetal retardation, premature rupture of membranes and premature delivery in risk pregnancies treated with betamimetics.

A higher percentage of intrauterine growth retarded (IUR) infants was found in patients treated with tocolytic drugs, indicating that placental insufficiency could be the cause of both premature labor and IUR. In order to evaluate the results of oral treatment with betamimetics and magnesium at different dosages, 534 (10.9%) pregnancies treated with tocolysis + cerclage (TC) of 4,905 single pregnancies managed in our hospital between 1979 and 1982 wee studied retrospectively. Addition of magnesium to betamimetics: since 1979/1980 3-6 mEq Mg2+ daily per os aimed towards 'cardioprotection', and since 1981, to 'support tocolyis' 30-40 mEq Mg2+ daily per os in the form of Mg aspartate. We compared: mean age, parity, percentage supplemented with Mg and outcome of pregnancy for each year; these parameters were also compared with those of normal pregnancies. The frequency of (completed) gestational periods less than or equal to 36 weeks was about 11% in the TC groups (only 2% in normal pregnancies). However, this was reduced annually from 11.0% in 1979 to 4.9% in 1982. The frequency of premature ruptured membranes (PROM) in premature infants was about 6% in the TC groups from 1979 to 1980. It was reduced to 2.2% in 1981 and to 1.6% in 1982 (normal pregnancies, about 1%). In the TC group the frequency of IUR (less than 10th percentile; Bavarian Perinatal Evaluation; BPE) amounted to 20.5% in 1979, and to 17.5% in 1980. It was reduced to 8.8% in 1981 and to 10.6% in 1982 (normal groups, between 8.3 and 11.5%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

C-reactive protein with premature rupture of membranes and premature labor.

C-reactive protein (CRP) was determined serially in 31 patients with premature rupture of the membranes, 41 patients in premature labor, and 18 pregnant patients with a variety of high-risk conditions. Elevated levels of CRP were not predictive of clinical amnionitis, histologic chorioamnionitis, or neonatal sepsis. No discernible relationship was found between serum CRP and peripheral white blood cell count. CRP was not elevated (false negative) in two patients in the premature labor group with culture-proved bacterial amnionitis. Elevated CRP in the absence of infection (false positive) likewise occurred. The results suggest that CRP be used in conjunction with other signs and symptoms suggestive of chorioamnionitis, rather than as a pathognomonic test.

C-Reactive Protein↗

Ocular cosmesis in retinopathy of prematurity. The Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group.

We report the externally apparent outcome in the natural history cohort (n = 4099) that was followed up prospectively in the Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity. The overall incidence of an adverse cosmetic outcome in the survivors who were examined 12 months post term (n = 2759) was 15.1%. Adverse cosmetic outcomes included strabismus (12.8%), nystagmus (3.3%), total retrolental membrane (1%), epiphora (0.6%), corneal opacity (0.6%), cataract (0.3%), and episcleral hyperemia (0.3%). A comparable subgroup examined 24 months post term showed strabismus (14.4%), nystagmus (2.2%), epiphora (0.5%), corneal opacity (0.7%), cataract (0.5%), episcleral hyperemia (0.5%), lid fissure asymmetry (2.4%), and corneal diameter asymmetry (2.0%). The rate of adverse aesthetic outcome was greatest in eyes that had developed more severe acute retinopathy of prematurity and an unfavorable structural outcome. In patients with bilateral threshold retinopathy of prematurity who underwent no therapeutic ocular procedures, other than randomized assignment to undergo cryotherapy in one eye, more frequent adverse cosmetic outcomes were found in the untreated eyes.

Acute Disease↗

Racial variation in retinopathy of prematurity. The Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group.

OBJECTIVES: To determine and compare the incidence of severe, vision-threatening retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in black and white low-birth-weight infants. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Seventy neonatal intensive care units in 23 US participating centers in the Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity. PATIENTS: A total of 4099 premature infants weighing less than 1251 g at birth were enrolled to evaluate the natural history of ROP. This 'Natural History' cohort included 2158 white infants and 1584 black infants who were followed up prospectively according to a Natural History protocol. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence and severity of acute ROP. RESULTS: While ROP occurred with similar frequency in all racial subgroups, severe ROP was less common in black infants. One hundred sixty (7.4%) of 2158 white infants reached threshold ROP (defined as at least 5 contiguous or 8 cumulative clock-hours of stage 3 retinopathy in zone 1 or zone 2 in the presence of "plus disease" [dilation and tortuosity of the posterior pole blood vessels]), but only 51 (3.2%) of 1584 black infants progressed to threshold ROP. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, race emerged as a highly significant factor (P < .001) in the development of threshold disease, even when birth weight, gestational age status at delivery, sex, multiple births, and transport status were considered. CONCLUSIONS: Severe, vision-threatening ROP occurs with greater frequency in low-birth-weight white infants than in low-birth-weight black infants who are seemingly at equivalent risk. The reason for this disparity is unknown. We speculate that differences in retinal pigmentation may confer relative protection against free radical-mediated phototoxic injury in black infants.

Birth Weight↗

A randomized placebo-controlled trial of erythromycin for the treatment of Ureaplasma urealyticum to prevent premature delivery. The Vaginal Infections and Prematurity Study Group.

Ureaplasma urealyticum has been associated with low birth weight and histologic chorioamnionitis and it is a frequent isolate from the chorioamnion of patients who are delivered prematurely. In prior clinical trials using antibiotics active against U. urealyticum, antibiotic treatment was associated with reduced prematurity and increased mean birth weight. In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind clinical trial, pregnant women with U. urealyticum were treated with 333 mg of erythromycin base or placebo three times daily, starting between 26 and 30 weeks' gestation and continuing through 35 completed weeks of pregnancy. Women with urinary tract infection or Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection were excluded from the trial, and women with Chlamydia trachomatis or group B streptococci were excluded from these analyses. Erythromycin did not eliminate U. urealyticum from the lower genital tract. There were no significant differences between erythromycin- and placebo-treated women in infant birth weight or gestational age at delivery, in frequency of premature rupture of membranes, or in neonatal outcome.

Adult↗

Physiologic sequelae of prematurity: the nurse practitioner's role. Part II. Retinopathy of prematurity.

Retinopathy of prematurity is a common complication in the treatment of premature birth. This article, the second in a series on the physiologic sequelae of prematurity, presents the pathophysiology of this condition, as well as the effects on the child's growth and development. Common problems faced by these children and their families are discussed, and parental counseling needs are presented.

Child Development↗

Visual acuity of eyes after vitrectomy for retinopathy of prematurity: follow-up at 5 1/2 years. The Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group.

PURPOSE: To provide long-term follow-up on the structural status and visual function at 5 1/2 years of age for 128 eyes of 98 infants who participated in the multicenter randomized clinical trial of cryotherapy for retinopathy of prematurity in whom total retinal detachment developed from retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) by the 3-month study examination. Fifty-four patients had lensectomy-vitrectomy procedures in one or both eyes before 1 year of age (n=72 eyes), and 44 patients did not (n=56 eyes). METHODS: When the children were 5 1/2 years of age, an eye examination was performed and residua of ROP was assessed. Recognition acuity (Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study chart) and grating visual acuity (Teller acuity card procedure) assessments were undertaken by testers who were masked to the status of each of the child's eyes. RESULTS: At least partial retinal attachment was present at 5 1/2 years in 21% compared with 28% at 1 year of age (not significant). All except one of the eyes tested at 5 1/2 years had vision limited to light perception or no light perception, regardless of whether a vitrectomy had been performed. One eye that underwent vitrectomy had minimal pattern vision. The two eyes that were reported previously to have minimal pattern vision at 1 year of age were blind at the longer-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The poor visual outcome after a lensectomy-vitrectomy procedure for retinal detachment due to ROP demands that emphasis be placed on prevention of retinal detachment in premature infants.

Child, Preschool↗

Outcome-based management of retinopathy of prematurity. Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of prematurity Cooperative Group.

PURPOSE: A system is presented for sequentially computing the risk of progression of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) for infants born weighing not more than 1250 gm. A personal computer program is used to monitor infants' risk of threshold ROP from first appearance of ROP, and the progression in severity is tracked with multiple logistic risk models developed from data in the Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity. METHODS: After entry of the infant's birth weight, gestational age, ethnicity, birth in the current hospital or elsewhere, single or multiple birth, and maturity zone of retinal vessels, risk of progression to threshold severity is calculated. New estimates of risk are computed at onset of ROP and prethreshold ROP (any zone I ROP, zone II stage 2+ or 3) according to the extent of retinal vascularization when ROP first appears, how rapidly ROP progresses, and how severe it is. When threshold ROP (8 total or 5 contiguous clock hours of stage 3+ in zone I or II) is reached,the system provides separate estimates of risk that the eye will have an unfavorable 3-month outcome if treated or not. RESULTS: Estimates of risk of progression to threshold disease among the 4099 patients in the Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity natural history study varied from less than 1% to more than 70%. For eyes with threshold disease, the risk of an unfavorable outcome at 3 months without treatment varied from less than 10% to more than 90%. CONCLUSION: This method of tracking identifies infants at high risk for severe ROP and poor structural outcome. It provides information about prognosis with a specificity heretofore impossible.

Algorithms↗

Prematurity stereotyping and mothers' interactions with their premature and full-term infants during the first year.

OBJECTIVE: To longitudinally assess stability and correlates of prematurity stereotyping and perceptions of infant vulnerability in mothers of premature (N = 56) and full-term (N = 59) infants. METHOD: At 5, 9, and 12 months, mothers rated videotapes of unfamiliar infants with a full-term label (FTL) or a preterm label (PL), interacted with their own infant, and completed other questionnaires. A subgroup of infants were administered a developmental assessment at 32 months. RESULTS: Mothers rated PL infants more negatively than FTL infants at each age. Individual differences in stereotyping were not stable. Mothers who negatively rated infants labeled with the same birth status of their own infants exhibited more negative interactive behaviors with their infants. Mothers who viewed their own infant as more vulnerable and who showed more prematurity stereotyping at 5 months had infants with lower 32-month mental scores. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest an association between early maternal cognitions and both contemporaneous maternal behavior and later child developmental outcomes.

Female↗