No abstract

NT-proBNP increases significantly after the first anthracycline course in a subset of pediatric cancer patients. This increase is not associated with clinical or echocardiographic evidence of cardiac dysfunction. Anthracyclines may be more cardiotoxic in the first course than in subsequent courses. Longer follow-up of these patients is necessary to determine whether NT-proBNP can be used as an early marker for anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity.

No abstract

Forty-two pairs of maternal and cord plasma vitamin C levels were determined after term, preterm, and multiple gestation pregnancies and 95 determinations of plasma ascorbate were performed on 36 premature infants who were fed a recommended infant formula throughout the first month of life. There were no significant changes of the cord or maternal ascorbate levels or of the cord/maternal ascorbate ratio between term, preterm, and multiple gestation cases. A significant negative correlation was found between the maternal ascorbate levels and the cord/maternal ascorbate ratio, supporting previous observations that high fetal blood levels of vitamin C are maintained even in cases where the maternal vitamin nutrition is poor. A rapid decline from cord levels was evident during the first week of life, followed by maintenance of relatively low plasma ascorbate levels, despite supplementation of recommended vitamin nutrition. Further monitoring of ascorbate levels in premature infants is suggested for better adjustment of the recommendations for vitamin C supplementation.