Search Results (5)

Background and Objectives: To evaluate the clinical findings of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency in prolonged jaundice and to determine whether the systemic immune inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) can be used in the diagnosis of neonatal prolonged jaundice. Materials and Methods: Among full-term neonates with hyperbilirubinemia who were admitted to Medicine Hospital between January 2019 and January 2024 with the complaint of jaundice, 167 infants with a serum bilirubin level above 10 mg/dL, whose jaundice persisted after the 10th day, were included in this study. Results: G6PD activity was negatively correlated with NLR, SII, age, and hematocrit (Hct). There was a weak negative correlation between G6PD and NLR and a moderate negative correlation between G6PD activity and SII when adjusted for age and Hct. PK activity showed no significant correlation with G6PD, NLR, PLR, SII, age, and Hct. A linear relationship was observed between G6PD activity and SII and NLR. Conclusions: NLR and SII can be easily calculated in the evaluation of prolonged jaundice in G6PD deficiency has a considerable advantage. NLR and SII levels may contribute by preventing further tests for prolonged jaundice and regulating its treatment. It may be useful to form an opinion in emergencies and in early diagnostic period. Full article

Jaundice is a symptom of high blood bilirubin levels affecting about 80% of neonates. In neonates fed with breast milk, jaundice is particularly prevalent and severe, which is likely multifactorial. With the development of genomics and metagenomics, a deeper understanding of the neonatal gut microbiota has been achieved. We find there are accumulating evidence to indicate the importance of the gut microbiota in the mechanism of jaundice. In this paper, we present new comprehensive insight into the relationship between the microbiota and jaundice. In the new perspective, the gut is a crucial crossroad of bilirubin excretion, and bacteria colonizing the gut could play different roles in the excretion of bilirubin, including Escherichia coli as the main traffic jam causers, some Clostridium and Bacteroides strains as the traffic police, and most probiotic Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains as bystanders with no effect or only a secondary indirect effect on the metabolism of bilirubin. This insight could explain why breast milk jaundice causes a longer duration of blood bilirubin and why most probiotics have limited effects on neonatal jaundice. With the encouragement of breastmilk feeding, our perspective could guide the development of new therapy methods to prevent this side effect of breastfeeding. Full article

Breast milk is tailored for optimal growth in all infants; however, in some infants, it is related to a unique phenomenon referred to as breast milk jaundice (BMJ). BMJ is a type of prolonged unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia that is often late onset in otherwise healthy-appearing newborns, and its occurrence might be related to breast milk itself. This review aims to systematically evaluate evidence regarding breast milk composition and the development of BMJ in healthy neonates. PubMed, Scopus and Embase were searched up to 13 February 2023 with key search terms, including neonates, hyperbilirubinemia, and breastfeeding. A total of 678 unique studies were identified and 12 were ultimately included in the systematic review with narrative synthesis. These included studies covered both nutritional compositions (e.g., fats and proteins) and bioactive factors (e.g., enzymes and growth factors) of breast milk and formally assessed the difference in the concentration (or presence) of various endogenous components of breast milk collected from mothers of BMJ infants and healthy infants. The results were inconsistent and inconclusive for most of the substances of interest, and there was only a single study available (e.g., total energy and mineral content, bile salts and cytokines); conflicting or even contradictory results arose when there were two or more studies on the subject matter (e.g., fats and free fatty acids contents and epidermal growth factor). The etiology of BMJ is likely multifactorial, and no single constituent of breast milk could explain all the BMJ cases observed. Further well-designed studies are warranted to investigate the complex interaction between maternal physiology, the breast milk system and infant physiology before this field could be progressed to uncover the etiology of BMJ. Full article

Breast milk is crucial in the development of late-onset breast milk jaundice (BMJ), possibly due to the composition of breast milk and the lactating mother’s diet. To explore the possible nutritional pathogenesis of late-onset BMJ, we investigated the lactation diet and collected breast milk by following the 42-day postpartum mother–infants pairs in Beijing and a total of 94 pairs were enrolled. The macronutrient content of breast milk was measured, and the epidermal growth factor (EGF) content in breast milk was determined by ELISA. Data on in-hospital and out-of-hospital breastfeeding, infant growth, jaundice-related vaccination, and puerperium diet were collected. The BMJ group received the second dose of hepatitis B vaccine later than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The EGF concentration in breast milk was lower in the BMJ group than in the control group (p = 0.03). When EGF increased by 1 ng/mL, the transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) value decreased by 0.33 ng/mL and 0.27 ng/mL before and after the adjustment, respectively. A 1 g increase in oil intake led to a 0.38 ng/mL increase in EGF concentration before the adjustment. With a 1 g increase in oil intake, the TcB value decreased by 0.27 ng/mL before the adjustment, and with a 1 g increase in soybean and soybean product intake, the TcB value decreased by 0.34 ng/mL after the adjustment. Collectively, EGF in breast milk may inhibit the occurrence of late-onset BMJ, and the dietary intake of oil in lactating mothers may affect the level of EGF in breast milk, thus affecting the occurrence of late-onset BMJ. Finally, dietary oil intake may be a protective factor for the occurrence of late-onset BMJ by increasing EGF levels in breast milk. Full article

Apium plants belong to the Apiaceae family and are included among plants that have been in use in traditional medicine for thousands of years worldwide, including in the Mediterranean, as well as the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa. Some highlighted medical benefits include prevention of coronary and vascular diseases. Their phytochemical constituents consist of bergapten, flavonoids, glycosides, furanocoumarins, furocoumarin, limonene, psoralen, xanthotoxin, and selinene. Some of their pharmacological properties include anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, nematocidal, anti-rheumatism, antiasthma, anti-bronchitis, hepatoprotective, appetizer, anticonvulsant, antispasmodic, breast milk inducer, anti-jaundice, antihypertensive, anti-dysmenorrhea, prevention of cardiovascular diseases, and spermatogenesis induction. The present review summarizes data on ecology, botany, cultivation, habitat, medicinal use, phytochemical composition, preclinical and clinical pharmacological efficacy of Apium plants and provides future direction on how to take full advantage of Apium plants for the optimal benefit to mankind. Full article