RESUMO
Birth weight is related to neonatal health and long-term risk of chronic disease. Since animal studies have shown that birth outcome is related to placental function, the present project was designed to explore the relationship between birth weight and placental growth and composition with maternal factors during pregnancy among normal term pregnancies in 51 primiparous and 40 multiparous women delivering at the University Hospital of the West Indies. Both groups were followed from 15 weeks of gestation to term. The primiparous group was generally younger than the multiparous (mean age 22 +/- 4 versus 31 +/- 5 yr). They were significantly lighter (55 +/- 8 versus 61 +/- 9 kg) with a lower body mass index (21 +/- 3 versus 23 +/- 4 kg/m2) during early pregnancy, but gained more weight during pregnancy, 11 kg compared with 8 kg, respectively. The duration of pregnancy was similar for both groups. Although the size of the placenta was not significantly different between the two groups, the mean weight of the multiparous placentae was more than that of the primiparous placentae. Also, for all mothers both placental weight and initial maternal weight related directly to birth weight. Placental non collagen protein (NCP), sodium and potassium contents were significantly higher for multiparous women and were related to birth weight. The primiparous group had babies who were significantly lighter, 3.03 kg compared with 3.36 kg, for the multiparous and this could be attributed to differences in placental function and maternal weight. When account was taken of the difference in maternal weight at the start of pregnancy and the difference in placental weight, parity no longer explained any of the differences in birth weight. It is concluded that maternal body weight at the time of becoming pregnant and the early development of the placenta determine the efficiency with which nutrients might be delivered to the foetus and hence foetal growth. The difference in birth weight between primiparous and multiparous women can be explained by the differences in maternal weight at the time of becoming pregnant.
Assuntos
Peso ao Nascer , Peso Corporal , Placenta/anatomia & histologia , Gravidez/fisiologia , Adulto , Índice de Massa Corporal , Feminino , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Tamanho do Órgão , Paridade , Análise de Regressão , Índias OcidentaisRESUMO
Urea kinetics were measured on two separate occasions in five adults with normal haemoglobin genotype (HbAA) and in four who were homozygous for sickle cell disease (HbSS). Prime/intermittent doses of [15N15N]urea were given orally on one occasion and intravenously on the other. In three of the nine individuals there appeared to be significant hydrolysis of the oral dose of urea before absorption, leading to spurious results for the urea kinetics. When only the studies in which isotope was given intravenously were considered, there was a difference in the rate at which urea-N was salvaged, with more urea-N being salvaged by HbSS subjects than HbAA. It is concluded that the oral presentation of isotope can be used to measure urea kinetics provided care is taken to exclude those subjects who are likely to display upper intestinal hydrolysis, and that there are differences in aspects of urea kinetics between HbAA and HbSS which may be of metabolic importance.
Assuntos
Anemia Falciforme/tratamento farmacológico , Ureia/farmacocinética , Absorção , Administração Oral , Adolescente , Adulto , Anemia Falciforme/urina , Estudos de Avaliação como Assunto , Feminino , Humanos , Hidrólise , Injeções Intravenosas , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Isótopos de Nitrogênio , Ureia/administração & dosagem , Ureia/urinaRESUMO
1. The evidence is accumulating to suggest that glycine, the simplest amino acid, is conditionally essential in man. Benzoic acid, by conjugation with glycine to form hippuric acid, is known to deplete the free glycine pool of the body. Glycine is one substrate for the enzyme glutathione synthase (EC 6.3.2.3) and in the inborn error of metabolism in which glutathione synthase function is defective, increased quantities of 5-oxoproline are excreted in the urine. 2. An oral dose of 4-10 g sodium benzoate was given to six normal adults to deplete the metabolic pool of glycine, and the urinary excretion of 5-oxoproline was followed for 6 h. In five of the six, a significant increase in the urinary 5-oxoproline was seen within 3 h. 3. These findings show that 5-oxoprolinuria can result from limited glycine availability, and may provide a useful test for assessing glycine sufficiency in a range of physiological and pathological states.