Quantitative analysis of methyl and propyl parabens in neonatal DBS using LC-MS/MS

AIM: Excipients are used to overcome the chemical, physical and microbiological challenges posed by developing formulated medicines. Both methyl and propyl paraben are commonly used in pediatric liquid formulations. There is no data on systemic exposure to parabens in neonates. The European Study of Neonatal Exposure to Excipients project has investigated this. Results & methodology: DBS sampling was used to collect opportunistic blood samples. Parabens were extracted from the DBS and analyzed using a validated LC-MS/MS assay. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION: The above assay was applied to analyze neonatal DBS samples. The blood concentrations of parabens in neonates confirm systemic exposure to parabens following administration of routine medicines

Glycerophospholipid and detoxification pathways associated with small for gestation age pathophysiology: discovery metabolomics analysis in the SCOPE cohort

Introduction: Small for gestational age (SGA) may be associated with neonatal morbidity and mortality. Our understanding of the molecular pathways implicated is poor. Objectives: Our aim was to determine the metabolic pathways involved in the pathophysiology of SGA and examine their variation between maternal biofluid samples. Methods: Plasma (Cork) and urine (Cork, Auckland) samples were collected at 20 weeks’ gestation from nulliparous low-risk pregnant women participating in the SCOPE study. Women who delivered an SGA infant (birthweight < 10th percentile) were matched to controls (uncomplicated pregnancies). Metabolomics (urine) and lipidomics (plasma) analyses were performed using ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Features were ranked based on FDR adjusted p-values from empirical Bayes analysis, and significant features putatively identified. Results: Lipidomics plasma analysis revealed that 22 out of the 33 significantly altered lipids annotated were glycerophospholipids; all were detected in higher levels in SGA. Metabolomic analysis identified reduced expression of metabolites associated with detoxification (D-Glucuronic acid, Estriol-16-glucuronide), nutrient absorption and transport (Sulfolithocholic acid) pathways. Conclusions: This study suggests higher levels of glycerophospholipids, and lower levels of specific urine metabolites are implicated in the pathophysiology of SGA. Further research is needed to confirm these findings in independent samples