Bilirubin toxicity and lipid peroxidation

Hazardous levels of bilirubin produce oxidative stress in vitro and may play a role in bilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunction (BIND). Daood et al. hypothesized that certain antioxidants would inhibit oxidative stress and block BIND in hyperbilirubinemic j/j Gunn rat pups given sulfadimethoxine to induce bilirubin encephalopathy. Their findings show that lipid peroxidation inhibition alone is not sufficient to prevent BIND.

See Lipid peroxidation is not the primary mechanism of bilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunction in jaundiced Gunn rat pups

Artificial placenta

Because previous studies aimed at developing an artificial placenta have had limited success, Miura and coinvestigators hypothesized that the use of a high-performance membranous oxygenator with a pumpless artificial placenta could extend the survival time of premature lambs. Indeed, the survival of fetal lambs was prolonged using such an oxygenator with a small priming volume. Vasodilators may be more useful than vasoconstrictors for maintaining organ blood flow within this circuit.

See Novel modification of an artificial placenta: pumpless arteriovenous extracorporeal life support in a premature lamb model

Osteogenesis imperfecta

Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) inhibitors are being considered for use in children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Bargman and co-workers sought to assess the efficacy of two doses of a RANKL inhibitor in a developmental mouse model of OI. Both high- and low-dose treatment resulted in osteopetrotic changes in infant mice, an outcome not seen in either studies with the RANKL inhibitor RANK–immunoglobulin Fc segment complex or studies in older animals.

See High- and low-dose OPG-Fc cause osteopetrosis-like changes in infant mice

Ureaplasma sepsis model

No neonatal model to evaluate Ureaplasma sepsis has yet been reported. Using a neonatal mouse model, Weisman and coauthors tested the hypothesis that appropriate antibiotic treatment ameliorates Ureaplasma sepsis. They observed that treatment outcome was related to the infecting strain and antibiotic treatment. This model could be used to further investigate appropriate antibiotic selection for treatment of Ureaplasma sepsis in newborns.

See Appropriate antibiotic therapy improves Ureaplasma sepsis outcome in the neonatal mouse

Neonatal sepsis marker

Oncel et al. investigated the value of proadrenomedullin (pro-ADM) as a marker of neonatal sepsis. The authors concluded that pro-ADM has high sensitivity and specificity when used in combination with other acute-phase reactants, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6.

See Proadrenomedullin as a prognostic marker in neonatal sepsis

VLBW-infant mortality

Although medical care for very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants has improved over time, it is unclear how the advances have affected mortality and morbidity. Kusuda and colleagues analyzed a network database and found that, in Japan, mortality of VLBW infants decreased significantly from 2003 to 2008.

See Trends in morbidity and mortality among very-low-birth-weight infants from 2003 to 2008 in Japan

SPR presidential address

In her presidential address, delivered at the 2012 Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, Susan Furth outlines threats to child health research and discusses the ability of the Society of Pediatric Research to confront these challenges.

See Society for Pediatric Research 2012 presidential address: SPR Strategic Plan Priorities 2012