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Aim: This study investigates the association of complete blood count parameters and erythrocyte transfusions with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) requiring treatment in infants born prematurely under 32 weeks of gestation. Materials and Methods: The single-center, retrospective, observational study included 130 patients with a gestational age between 24-32 weeks who were born in the same hospital and hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit of the hospital between 2016-2018. Results: Mean complete blood count parameters at postnatal 0-24 hours and postnatal 24-72 hours as well as erythrocyte transfusions were compared in terms of retinopathy of prematurity requiring treatment. Mean hemoglobin, hematocrit and red blood cell count at postnatal 24-72 hours were significantly lower in patients with ROP requiring treatment than in those without. Conclusion: The study suggests that low erythrocyte mass and an increased number of early erythrocyte transfusions are important risk factors for the development of ROP requiring treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We aimed to determine the current factors affecting the development of omphalitis in our region. Materials and Methods: This prospective case-control study included term and late preterm newborns admitted to the newborn outpatient clinic or paediatric emergency service between 2014 and 2015. One hundred newborns with omphalitis and agematched 100 newborns as a control group were included. The perinatal, postnatal, and sociocultural characteristics of newborns were evaluated and the factors that could influence the development of omphalitis were determined. Results: Younger maternal age and primiparity, lower maternal education, and lower maternal hand washing habits were the significant risk factors of omphalitis development. Using non-cotton clothes were the most important risk factor amongst all factors as it increases the omphalitis risk up to 13 times. The frequency of omphalitis was significantly higher in warm months when microorganisms were able to colonise and reproduce compared with the colder months. Conclusion: Results suggested that community-based interventions promoting the improvement of neonatal care should emphasise simple and low-cost interventions such as hand washing habit of mothers, caring for the umbilical cord, and using cotton clothes for babies. This study also confirms the safety of dry cord care at the time of birth and afterwards. However, broadscale multicentric studies are needed to protect against omphalitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), which is TNF receptor superfamily member, contributes to several diseases pathogenesis. The aim of this research was to investigate the relevance of serum TRAIL protein levels and mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with stroke through 6 months follow-up. We enrolled patients with first-ever acute ischemic stroke (n = 95) and healthy controls (n = 95) in this study. Follow-up blood samples were collected from patients at day 7, 28, and 180 after the onset. The stroke severity was evaluated by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score. TRAIL protein levels were quantified by using ELISA kits and TRAIL mRNA expression by quantitative real-time PCR. Our study showed that stroke patients have statistically significant lower levels of serum TRAIL protein (p < 0.0001) and elevated TRAIL mRNA expression (p < 0.0001) in PBMC at the disease onset. Our follow-up study revealed that TRAIL protein levels were increased while mRNA expression levels were downregulated in later periods. Overall, our findings suggest that serum TRAIL levels and mRNA expression in PBMC could reliably serve as a predictor of stroke outcome. Additionally, our study supports that TRAIL plays a role in pathogenesis and progression of ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]