Background and aims To investigate the association between serum mean platelet volume (MPV) levels and meconium stained amniotic fluid (MSAF). Methods MPV, serum reactive protein and haemoglobin levels, leukocyte and thrombocyte counts were measured in 106 infants with MSAF and 78 healthy control infants for comparison. Demographic factors including gestational age, birth weight, gender, delivery mode, parity, maternal pregnancy diseases, intrauterine infections, maternal smoking and severity of meconium aspiration syndrome were recorded. Results The mean values of MPV in infants with MSAF were significantly lower than in the control group statistically (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in haemoglobin levels, and leukocyte and thrombocyte counts in the study group compared to the control group (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in MPV levels in the infants with meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) compared to the study group (p > 0.05). A 9.90 fl [area under the curve (AUC: 0.788)] optimal cutoff value of MPV with a sensitivity of 78.1% and specificity of 74.3% was determined in infants with MSAF. Conclusions Our data suggest that the MPV levels were significantly lower in infants with MSAF than that in healthy infants. This might be associated with hypoxic process. However, the MPV levels were statistically similar between MSAF and MAS, leading to a failure of detecting patients with or without severe disease. Objective To evaluate feasibility and safety of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) occlusion in very low birth weight newborns < 2500 g when surgery was indicated by PDA occluder under X ray and ultrasounds Methods After ultrasound evaluation and Ibuprofen treatment when required, significant haemodynamic PDA were defined by high flow in pulmonary artery branch >45 cm/sec, absence or reverse flow in middle cerebral artery, renal and mesenteric arteries, left to right shunt, and DA diameter. Interventional catheterism was proposed as first option. Babies were anaesthetised with ketamine and sufenta. Femoral vein access by 4F Desilets. A catheter was positionned in descending thoracic aorta and the PDA II AS occluder positionned under horizontal X ray and ultrasound. Temperature was kept between 35.5 and 36°C along the procedure. Results Twelve newborns had a PDA closure. Mean weight was 1740 g (850-2480). The series started at the highest weight. Mean diameter of the duct was 3,3 mm (2,2-4) and length 6 (2-11). PDA ADO IISA used were 3 Â 4(2) 4 Â 2(1), 4 Â 4(4), 4 Â 6(2), 5 Â 2(2) and 5 Â 6(1). Two were repositioned. Mean duration of the entire procedure was 32 min (10-90). X ray exposure was 12 min (3-24) and dose 1,5 grey/cm2 (0.2-4). Two transitional paraprothetic shunts closed spontaneously after few days. One premature infant already in renal failure, died ten days later despite ductal closure. In the others the follow up showed improvement in cerebral and pulmonary blood flows without any haemodynamic problems such as observed after surgical procedure...

Results:In the first 6 months complete data entry was achieved in 237 (mean age 61 years, male 72%, European 49.4%) of the 248 patients with confirmed ACS: UA (6%), NSTEMI (62%), STEMI (31%). Median length of stay was 4.0 days, 85% had inpatient angiography of whom 89% had at least one lesion >50%. 65% had LVEF assessment. Discharge medications: aspirin (99%), statin (95%), and beta-blocker (89%). Of STEMI patients 30% had primary PCI and 42% thrombolysis.Conclusion: We have created a novel web-based database which can be used to review current treatment patterns, describe event-rates and prognostic factors in local patients with ACS. The unique strengths of RACS are real-time data availability and it ease of use. Importantly it has the potential to be disseminated and used nation-wide to capture every patient admitted with an ACS in NZ.Background: Using velocity-encoded cine sequences in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), forward and reverse flow in the ascending aorta allow the calculation of regurgitant volume and fraction in aortic regurgitation (AR). The accuracy of the forward aortic flow measurement is assessed in this study.Methods: 10 patients with moderate to severe AR without mitral regurgitation (MR) underwent clinical CMR. The forward aortic flow measurements on velocityencoded cine sequences were compared with the left ventricular stroke volume (LVSV) measured by CMRvolumetric methods. The control group was 20 patients without AR or MR; 10 had normal left ventricular function and 10 had impaired function.Results: In the AR group, mean left ventricular enddiastolic volume (LVEDV) and regurgitant volume were 274 ± 71 ml and 51 ± 26 ml, respectively. Forward aortic flow was 139 ± 32 ml, compared to LVSV of 164 ± 40 ml, in the absence of MR on echocardiogram. The Bland-Altman plot demonstrated significant systematic error with a lower measured forward aortic flow of 24.7 ± 11.7 ml, compared to LVSV. This compared to the control group (LVEDV 217 ± 59 ml) where there was no observed difference between forward aortic flow (108 ± 30 ml) and LVSV (107 ± 28 ml), with a tight correlation and mean difference of 0.5 ± 7.8 ml.