An unusual hotspot in a young woman with Hodgkin's lymphoma

A young woman has started cancer treatment because of a Hodgkin's lymphoma. After four months of chemotherapy, a PET scan showed an unexplained hotspot in the right lower abdomen. This was later explained by an unsuspected pregnancy. Our case emphasizes the importance of a pregnancy test in all women in the reproductive age before starting cancer treatmen

Long-term effects of neonatal glutamine-enriched nutrition in very-low-birth-weight infants

Several studies in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants have investigated the effect of parenteral or enteral glutamine supplementation on morbidity, mortality, and outcome in the neonatal period. No evidence of toxicity of glutamine supplementation was found in these clinical trials, but the results for efficacy on a limited number of outcomes have been mixed. The use of glutamine supplementation in VLBW infants has not become routine. Some authors suggest that further study in this area is no longer warranted. In this review, more recent research in the area of glutamine supplementation is described, which suggests additional studies are warrante

Shoulder dislocation in a very-low-birth-weight infant: case report and review of the literature

Shoulder dislocation in a preterm infant is very rare. We report a case of a preterm infant, with gestational age of 25 2/7 weeks and birth weight of 910 g, with anterior shoulder dislocation after breech delivery. The infant was successfully treated with closed reduction. In general, long-term outcome of shoulder dislocation in these infants is good. However, prompt recognition and treatment of the dislocated shoulder are essential to maintain normal shoulder girdle function and to prevent functional disability. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Implicit Learning Abilities in Adolescents Born Very Preterm

Very preterm birth is associated with neurodevelopmental impairments and outcomes have not improved over the last decades. Insight in learning processes is important for the development of effective interventions. Implicit learning is of particular interest because of its independence from working memory processes that are affected by preterm birth. This study examined implicit learning abilities in 49 very preterm and 61 full-term 13-year-old adolescents. The degree of implicit learning was not different between groups. This indicates intact implicit learning abilities in adolescents born very preterm. Implicit learning strategies may be beneficial for skill learning in very preterm born children

A randomised trial of enteral glutamine supplementation for very preterm children showed no beneficial or adverse long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes

Aim This study evaluated the long-term effects of enteral glutamine supplementation on neurodevelopmental outcomes of a Dutch cohort of very preterm children at 13 years of age. Methods The cohort was enrolled in a randomised placebo-controlled trial between 2001 and 2003 in which infants received glutamine- or alanine-supplemented enteral nutrition during the first month of life. Participants were invited for follow-up at a mean age of 13.30 years. Motor, neurocognitive, academic and behavioural outcomes were assessed in 61 children. Results No differences were found between the groups regarding motor, intellectual, academic and behavioural functioning. Forward span visuospatial working memory performance was better in the controls (crude/adjusted model: d = 0.67/0.64, p = 0.02/0.02), but no difference was found for backward span. After the data were adjusted for confounders, the groups differed regarding parent-rated attention (crude/adjusted model: d = 0.47/0.73, p = 0.07/0.003), but both groups scored within the normal range. Conclusion This was the first study on the long-term effects of enteral glutamine supplementation on the neurodevelopmental outcomes of very preterm children. Our study provided no evidence that enteral glutamine supplementation had any beneficial or adverse effects on the children's motor, neurocognitive, academic and behavioural outcomes at 13 years of age

Attention Problems of Very Preterm Children Compared with Age-Matched Term Controls at School-Age

Objectives: To clarify the severity, specificity, and neurocognitive underpinnings of attention problems in very preterm children. Study design: A sample of 66 preterm (<32 weeks gestation), mean (SD) age 7.5 (0.4) years, and 66 age-matched term controls participated. Symptoms of inattention were assessed using parent and teacher-rated questionnaires, and neurocognitive measures included speed and consistency in speed of information processing, lapses of attention (tau), alerting, orienting, and executive attention, as well as verbal and visuospatial working memory. Group differences were investigated using ANOVA, and Sobel tests were used to clarify the mediating role of neurocognitive impairments on attention problems. Results: There was a large decrease in visuospatial working memory abilities (P <.001, d =.87), and medium increases in tau (P =.002, d = 0.55) as well as parent and teacher ratings of inattention (range d = 0.40-0.56) in very preterm children compared with term peers. Tau and visuospatial working memory were significant predictors of parent (