Effects of storage on venous and capillary blood samples: the influence of deferoxamine and butylated hydroxytoluene on the fatty acid alterations in red blood cell phospholipids.

Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, The Netherlands. Fatty acid concentrations in plasma and red blood cell phospholipids isolated from paired venous and capillary blood samples were compared and the effect of storage at -20 degrees C was evaluated as well. Plasma fatty acid profiles from venous and capillary blood were found to be comparable and not affected by up to four weeks of storage, while fatty acid profiles of venous and capillary red blood cells were no longer comparable after four weeks. Substantial losses of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids were observed in capillary red blood cells. To investigate whether the observed long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids loss could be prevented, capillary red blood samples were stored for up to one year at -50 degrees C in the presence of the iron-binding agent deferoxamine or the free radical scavenger butylated hydroxytoluene. Both compounds protected the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Similarly, storage of red blood cell lipid extracts at -50 degrees C for up to one year was not associated with reduced levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. In conclusion, the lipid loss from capillary red blood cells can be reduced for at least one year during storage at -50 degrees C with prior addition of either a metal chelating compound or a free radical scavenger, or by preparing lipid extracts of the samples within one week of blood collection

Influence of feeding artificial formulas containing decosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids on the postnatal, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status of healthy preterm infants

In view of the importance of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) for growth and development of fetal and infant neural tissue, the influence of the dietary n-3 and n-6 LCP intake on the LCP status of forty-three preterm infants (birth weight <1800 g) was studied. Thirty-one formula-fed infants were randomly assigned to receive a conventional formula lacking LCP (n 16), or an 22:6n-3- and 20:4n-6-enriched formula (n 15); twelve infants received their own mother's breast milk. Fatty acid compositions of plasma and erythrocyte (RBC) phospholipids (PL) were determined in umbilical venous blood, in weekly postnatal samples until day 35 of life and, for the formula-fed infants, at 3 months of corrected age. Both in plasma (P <0.001) and RBC (P <0.01) FL, the changes with time until day 35 for 22:6n-3 and 20:4n-6 in the two groups of formula-fed infants were significantly different, with higher values, comparable with those of human-milk-fed infants, in the LCP-enriched-formula group. At 3 months of corrected age, differences between the two formula-fed groups were even more pronounced. In conclusion, adding 22:6n-3 and 20:4n-6 to artificial formulas in balanced ratios and in amounts similar to those found in preterm human milk raises both the 22:6n-3 and the 20:4n-6 status of formulated preterm infants to values found for human-milk-fed preterm infants. Additional studies are necessary to evaluate the potentially favourable effects of this combined addition on the neurodevelopmental outcome of preterm infants

Essential fatty acid status measured in umbilical vessel walls of infants born after a multiple pregnancy

The essential fatty acid (EFA) status of full-term infants born after an uneventful, singleton pregnancy has been reported to be marginal. If this low EFA status is caused by a limiting maternal EFA supply, the higher total fetal EFA demand associated with a multiple pregnancy would result in an even lower EFA status of the infants born after a multiple pregnancy. Therefore, we compared the EFA status at birth of 30 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets, and one set of quintuplets with that of 94 infants (51 preterm, 43 full-term) born after a singleton pregnancy. Phospholipid-associated EFA profiles of the umbilical vessel walls, considered a longer-term reflection of the fetal EFA status, were studied. After correction for gestational age at birth, levels of n-6 and n-3 EFAs were generally lower, while levels of EFA-deficiency indicating n-9 polyunsaturated fatty acids were significantly higher both in the draining umbilical arteries and the supplying veins of infants born after a multiple pregnancy. EFA profiles of twins and triplets were similar, but the average EFA status of the set of quintuplets was lower than that of twins and triplets. In conclusion, the observation that the EFA status of infants born after a multiple pregnancy is lower than that of infants born after a singleton pregnancy supports the view that the maternal EFA supply to the fetus is limiting. Considering the importance of EFAs and their longer chain derivatives for proper growth and development, this finding warrants further studies of the adequacy of the maternal EFA intake during pregnancy

Essential fatty acid status of fetal plasma phospholipids: similar to postnatal values obtained at comparable gestational ages.

Essential fatty acid status of fetal plasma phospholipids: similar to postnatal values obtained at comparable gestational ages. van Houwelingen AC, Foreman-van Drongelen MM, Nicolini U, Nicolaides KH, Al MD, Kester AD, Hornstra G. Department of Human Biology, Limburg University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. [email protected] Hardly any direct information is available on the essential fatty acid (EFA) status of the fetus during intrauterine development. Therefore, we studied 86 umbilical plasma samples obtained by trans-abdominal puncture during ongoing pregnancies (18.3-39.0 weeks of gestational age). These were compared with 51 samples of umbilical cord blood, collected immediately after birth (gestational ages, 28.5-39 weeks). The total amounts of fatty acids in fetal plasma phospholipids (mg/l) did not change during gestation. The relative amounts of linoleic acid (% of total fatty acids) showed a slight increase (P = 0.03) during fetal maturation. Arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) decreased (both absolute (mg/l) and relative (% wt/wt) P < or = 0.0001), while docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) increased (absolute P < 0.003, relative P < 0.0001) when pregnancy progressed. The EFA profiles of fetal samples were in general comparable with postnatal results of infants born at similar gestational ages. However, the fetal linoleic acid status was lower than the linoleic acid status of the neonates. The same was true for the overall EFA status. The results of this study indicate that the low EFA status observed in preterm infants at birth, is a developmentally related phenomenon

Treatment of centered developmental dysplasia of the hip under the age of 1 year: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline - Part 1

Despite the high incidence of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), treatment is very diverse. Therefore, the Dutch Orthopedic Society developed a clinical practice guideline with recommendations for optimal and uniform treatment of DDH. This article summarizes the guideline on centered DDH (i.e. Graf types 2A-C).The guideline development followed the criteria of Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II. A systematic literature review was performed to identify randomized controlled trials and comparative cohort studies including children 6 months; (3) assess patients every 6 weeks; and (4) discontinue the abduction device when the hip has normalized or when the child is 12 months.This paper presents a summary of part 1 of the first evidence-based guideline for treatment of centered DDH in children <1 year. Part 2 presents the guideline on decentered DDH in a separate article

Treatment of centered developmental dysplasia of the hip under the age of 1 year: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline - Part 1

Despite the high incidence of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), treatment is very diverse. Therefore, the Dutch Orthopedic Society developed a clinical practice guideline with recommendations for optimal and uniform treatment of DDH. This article summarizes the guideline on centered DDH (i.e. Graf types 2A-C).The guideline development followed the criteria of Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II. A systematic literature review was performed to identify randomized controlled trials and comparative cohort studies including children 6 months; (3) assess patients every 6 weeks; and (4) discontinue the abduction device when the hip has normalized or when the child is 12 months.This paper presents a summary of part 1 of the first evidence-based guideline for treatment of centered DDH in children <1 year. Part 2 presents the guideline on decentered DDH in a separate article.Orthopaedics, Trauma Surgery and Rehabilitatio