| 1. |
- Mantzoros, Christos, et al.
(author)
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Serum adiponectin concentrations in relation to maternal and perinatal characteristics in newborns.
- 2004
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In: European Journal of Endocrinology. - 0804-4643 .- 1479-683X. ; 151:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To assess serum adiponectin levels of neonates in relation to ponderal index and birth length with and without adjustment for potential confounding factors including maternal factors and perinatal characteristics.DESIGN: A cross-sectional study.METHODS: Three hundred and three newborns (Caucasian, singleton, full term, with a birth weight of > or =2500 g, and apparently healthy) were included in the study. Blood samples were collected from the newborns no later than the fifth day of life for measurements of adiponectin and major IGF system components (IGF-I, IGF-II, IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3)). The data were analyzed using simple and multiple regression analyses.RESULTS: Adiponectin is substantially higher in neonates than in adults, with no evidence of the gender dimorphism observed among adults. We found an inverse association between neonatal adiponectin levels and newborn ponderal index and a positive association with newborn length by univariate analysis. We also found a statistically significant inverse association of adiponectin with jaundice/bilirubin, and a marginally significant positive association of this hormone with IGFBP-3 but no significant association with any maternal factors. In multivariate analysis, the inverse association between serum adiponectin and ponderal index does not remain significant after adjustment for potential confounding factors. In contrast, neonatal adiponectin levels correlate inversely significantly and independently with liver maturity and IGF-II and tend to remain positively associated with IGFBP-3 and increased birth length.CONCLUSIONS: An inverse association of adiponectin with ponderal index by univariate analysis is not independent from confounding factors. In contrast, the positive association between serum adiponectin and birth length may reflect either a direct effect of adiponectin or an adiponectin-mediated increase in the sensitivity of tissues to insulin and components of the IGF system, and needs to be explored further.
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| 2. |
- Naumburg, Estelle, 1962-
(author)
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Perinatal Risk Factors for Childhood Leukemia
- 2002
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The aim of the studies described in this thesis was to assess the association between certain perinatal factors and the risk of childhood lymphatic and myeloid leukemia and infant leukemia. The five studies presented were all conducted in Sweden as population-based case-control studies. All cases were born and diagnosed between 1973-89 with leukemia up to the age of 16 years. A control was individually matched to each case. As Down’s syndrome entails a major risk for childhood leukemia, children with Down’s syndrome were excluded. The studies comprised a total of 652 cases, 47 of whom were diagnosed before the age of one year. Exposure data were extracted blindly from antenatal, obstetric, pediatric and other standardized medical records.No association was found between prenatal exposure to ultrasound or diagnostic x-ray and childhood lymphatic or myeloid leukemia. Infant leukemia was associated with prenatal exposure to x-ray. A history of maternal lower genital tract infection significantly increased the risk of childhood leukemia, especially among children diagnosed at four years or older or in infancy. Factors such as young maternal age, and mothers working with children or in the health sector were associated with infant leukemia. Resuscitation with 100% oxygen with a face-mask and bag directly postpartum was associated with an increased risk of childhood lymphatic leukemia. The oxygen-related risk further increased if the manual ventilation lasted for three minutes or more. There was no association between lymphatic or infant leukemia and supplementary oxygen later in the neonatal period or other birth-related factors. Low Apgar scores at one and five minutes were associated with a non-significantly increased risk of lymphatic leukemia, and were significantly associated with infant leukemia.Previously reported relations between childhood leukemia and exposures such as maternal diagnostic x-ray and birth related factors could not be confirmed by these studies. However, the present studies indicate that events during pregnancy or during the neonatal period are associated with increased risks of childhood and infant leukemia. These events can either be non-specific, such as exposure to maternal lower genital tract infection, or specific, such as the use of supplementary oxygen directly postpartum.
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| 3. |
- Petridou, Eleni, et al.
(author)
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A role of sunshine in the triggering of suicide.
- 2002
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In: Epidemiology. - 1044-3983 .- 1531-5487. ; 13:1, s. 106-9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Several reports indicate that suicide follows a seasonal pattern with a dominant peak during the month of maximum daylight. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that sunshine exposure may trigger suicidal behavior. We found a remarkably consistent pattern of seasonality with peak incidence around June in the northern hemisphere and December in the southern hemisphere. Moreover, there was a positive association between the seasonal amplitude of suicide (measured by relative risk) and total sunshine in the corresponding country. These findings indicate that sunshine may have a triggering effect on suicide, and suggests further research in the field of sunshine-regulated hormones, particularly melatonin.
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| 4. |
- Skalkidou, Alkistis, et al.
(author)
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Determinants and consequences of major insulin-like growth factor components among full-term healthy neonates.
- 2003
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In: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. - 1055-9965 .- 1538-7755. ; 12:9, s. 860-5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this research was to investigate determinants of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system among healthy full-term newborns and explore their relation with anthropometric variables at birth. Components of the IGF system have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several forms of cancer, and perinatal events have been linked to chronic diseases in later life. Measurements of weight and length, as well as blood samples, were obtained from 331 healthy full-term newborns delivered during 1999 in Athens, Greece. Because the liver is important for IGF production, newborns were chosen to have bilirubin levels either < or = 8 mg/dl or > or = 12 mg/dl to operationally distinguish them according to the liver function. IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGF binding protein-3 were inversely associated with the presence of neonatal jaundice and blood creatinine, after controlling for blood protein levels. IGF-I increased rapidly and significantly over a period of a few days and was strongly positively associated with both birth weight and ponderal index. Newborn levels of IGF-I declined with maternal age. In comparison with first-born newborns, later-born ones had significantly higher blood IGF-I levels. We conclude that IGF-I plays a dominant role in growth during the perinatal period and that all three studied components of the IGF system are sensitive to liver and kidney function. These findings provide an insight into the processes involved in perinatal growth.
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