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Material and method In this retrospective study, rate of abnormalities of TFT, its association with morbidities and neurodevelopment is investigated in 139 premature babies admitted to neonatal intensive care unit in Uludag Universitiy Medical Faculty between January 2009 and January 2012. Results Mean gestational weeks and birth weights of infants were 31.3 ± 2.9 weeks 1667 ±707 gr. Fourty one patients (24%) had TFT abnormality, 53.6% had transient TSH elevation, 22% had primary hypothyroidism, 22% had non-thyroidal disease and 2.4% had transient hypothyroxinemia. Fourty seven percent of SGA babies and, 26% of AGA babies had TFT abnormalities, difference was not statistically significant. Most common TFT abnormality was found to be transient TSH elevation in SGA and AGA babies. Mothers of 8 patients had maternal hypothyroidism. Five of these babies (63.5%) had TFT abnormality (p = 0.049). Mean head circumference in 18 months of age in normal TFT group was 46.3 cm ± 1.6 compared to babies with abnormal TFT whose mean head circumference was 45 cm ± 2.4 at the same age, difference was statistically significant. There were no statistically significant difference between groups for antropometric values in 6, 9, 12 moths and neurodevelopmental evaluation. Conclusion TFT abnormalities are frequent in prematüre babies and it is one of the most common causes of preventable mental retardation. In neonates, even transient hypothyroidism is associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcome, hence it must be treated urgently. As also detected in our study, maternal hypothyroidism is associated with increased neonatal hypothyroidism and these babies must be managed closely in postnatal period. Although not statistically significant, SGA babies were found to have increased rate of hypothyroidism. Further investigation with larger number of patients is necessary. Background Low dose combined oral contraceptives (COC) can interfere in bone mass acquisition during adolescence. To evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) in female adolescents taking a standard low-dose (EE 20 mg/Desogestrel 150 mg) combination oral contraceptive (COC) over a one-year period and compare with healthy adolescents from the same age group not taking COCs. Methods A non-randomised parallel control study with one-year follow-up. Sixty-seven adolescents from 12 to 20 years of age, divided into COC users (n = 41) taking 20 mg EE/150 mg Desogestrel and non-user controls (n = 26), were evaluated through bone densitometry examinations at baseline and 12 months later. PS-042cComparisons between groups at study start was done through the Mann-Whitney test with significance level fixed at 5% or corresponding p value; comparisons between groups at study start and 12 months later used variations in median percentages for bone mass variables. Results COC users presented low bone mass acquisition in the lumbar spine and BMD and BMC median variations between baseline and at 12 months of 2.07% and +1.57% respectively whereas the control group ...

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Objective To compile and analyse the replies to questionnaires on patient satisfaction as a major parameter of quality assessment in the setting of a single neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) over a 5-year period. Methods The NICU of Hillel Yaffe Medical Centre (Hadera, Israel) has utilised the ISO 9001:2008 standard for quality management system since 2007. The responses of the neonates' parents to a satisfaction questionnaire throughout a 5-year period were retrieved and analysed.Results The responses to a total of 1223 satisfaction questionnaire were available for analysis. Most of the parents were satisfied with the service, and some of them suggested improvements in features whose shortcomings were unknown to us and could easily be remedied for the most part. Conclusions The replies to the questionnaire identified components of care that parents found to be satisfactory and others that they wished could be changed. A satisfaction questionnaire is an easy tool for the improvement of service, and the use of the one we constructed and describe is recommended to guide the enhancement of quality medical care in an NICU. Background Intrauterine exposure to antidepressants may lead to neonatal symptoms from the central nervous, respiratory and gastrointestinal system. Neonatal Abstinence Score, NAS, has routinely been used to assess infants exposed to antidepressants in utero. Aim To study neonatal maladaptation syndrome in infants exposed to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) in utero. Method Retrospective cohort study of women delivering at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge between January 2007 and June 2009, who were using antidepressants during pregnancy, and their infants. Information was collected on maternal and infant health, social factors and pregnancy. NAS sheets were scrutinised. Results Two hundred and twenty women with reported 3rd trimester exposure to SSRI/SNRI were included. Seventy-seven women (35%) used citalopram, 76 (35%) sertraline, 34 (15%) fluoxetine, 33 (15%) other SSRI/SNRI. Twenty nine infants (13%) were admitted to the neonatal ward, 19 were born prematurely. Hypoglycemia (plasma glucose <2.6 mmol/L) was found in 42 infants (19%). NAS was analysed in 205 patients. Severe abstinence was defined as eight points or higher (scale with maximum 41 points), mild abstinence as 4-7 points, on at least two occasions. Seven infants (3%) had signs of severe abstinence and 46 (22%) mild abstinence symptoms. Conclusions Severe abstinence was rare in this cohort of infants exposed to SSRI/SNRI and the majority of all scored infants had no signs of neonatal maladaptation. Hypoglycemia was detected in one out of five infants and might be overrepresentated in SSRI/SNRI exposed infants. Background and aims The perinatal factors associated with hypothermia at admission and it relation with morbidity and mortality during the neonatal period has not been systematically studied in our area. We aimed to know the temperature on admission ...