Background: According to experiments done on animals and adult humans, orexins are involved in homeostasis of energy balance, feeding and arousal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate plasma orexins concentrations in children in relation to body mass index (BMI), energy demand and duration of sleep. Material and Methods: Studied children were grouped as follows: newborns (n = 7), infants (n = 15), prepubertal children (2–9 years, n = 12), pubertal children (10–15 years, n = 8) and postpubertal adolescents (16–18 years, n = 8). Plasma orexins concentrations were determined by EIA after extraction of samples on Sep-Pak columns. Results: The plasma concentration of orexin A was higher than the concentration of orexin B in all children studied. The concentrations of these two peptides were correlated (r = 0.45, p < 0.03). The highest mean plasma levels of orexin A and B were found in neonates and in children during puberty (orexin A: 1.02 ± 0.17 ng/ml and 1.01 ± 0.12 ng/ml, orexin B: 0.67 ± 0.18 and 0.65 ± 0.09 ng/ml, respectively) while in other groups the results were significantly lower. A significant negative correlation was found between BMI and the concentrations of orexin A (r = –0.51, p < 0.01) and orexin B (r = –0.45, p < 0.03). A positive correlation was found between the concentrations of both orexins and caloric demand (orexin A: r = 0.43, p < 0.05, orexin B: r = 0.48, p < 0.02). No correlation was found between the concentrations of orexins and the duration of sleep. Conclusion: Orexins play a significant role in children’s growth as a long-term satiety factor and may coordinate energy homeostasis with sexual maturation.
Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is still of great importance for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients because one of the major adverse effects of the high-dose therapy followed by HSCT is an inadequate oral nutrition intake. The aim of the study was analysis of TPN of young patients in the HSCT period. Twenty-two patients 1·8 -20·8 year-old, median 5·4, treated with high-dose therapy and autologous HSCT because of malignancy were included into the study. Grafts contained 1·35 -7·9 £ 10 The assessment of nutritional condition demonstrated no differences in anthropometric parameters, but increase of serum albumin levels after TPN. Requirement for P 32 was above the normal ranges and correlated positively with platelets reconstitution. Requirement for P 32 and K þ was higher in patients with mucositis than in other patients. Any complications due to TPN were observed. Adequately composed isoenergetic and isonitrogenous TPN with replacement of electrolytes according to their requirement in the early post-transplantation period allows not only improvement in nutritional status of patients but also could contribute to reconstitution of haematopoiesis.Total parenteral nutrition: Autologous haematopoietic transplants: P intake: Haematopoiesis recovery
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