title: [Changes in liver protein synthesis in the preterm newborn infant of a pre-eclamptic mother and/or with intrauterine growth retardation].
abstract: To verify in the preterm newborn the hypothesis, recently proposed by some authors, of an hepatosynthetic deficiency, blood fibrinogen (FIB), prothrombin time (PT) and albumin (ALB) levels at birth were studied in 44 neonates, selected to obtain 4 groups of the same number and gestational age, different only for the presence of intrauterine growth retard and preeclampsia during pregnancy. In the newborns born of preeclamptic pregnancies, FIB, PT and ALB blood levels at birth resulted lower, but not significantly, than in those born of normal pregnancies; in SGA newborns the values (except for albumin) resulted significantly lower than in AGA newborns (FIB = 168 +/- 63 mg/dl vs 223 +/- 55 mg/dl; p < 0.01; PT = 51 +/- 15% vs 71 +/- 19%; p < 0.001). Besides, PT values resulted significantly lower (p < 0.01), in presence of normal pregnancy, in SGA than in AGA newborns, while FIB values resulted significantly lower (p < 0.01), in presence of preeclampsia, in SGA than in AGA newborns. It seems that, in preterm newborn, the intrauterine growth retard, rather than preeclampsia, would condition lower blood levels of the examined seric proteins. These results could be explained by hypothesizing, in the SGA preterm newborn, 3 possible etiopathogenetic mechanisms: 1) increased turnover of hepatosynthetized seric proteins, such as albumin; 2) deficiency of liver enzymes involved in proteic synthesis, already demonstrated for some coagulation factors; 3) diminished amino acidic substratum, necessary for proteic hepatosynthesis, caused by poor amino acidic passage through placenta, possible in presence of intrauterine growth retard. This would probably be the most important mechanism in causing low levels of the examined seric proteins.
authors: Divisione di Neonatologia, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore di Roma, Italia.
authors: A A
authors: AA
authors: Zuppa
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Maragliano
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Mazzotta
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Girlando
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Marrocco
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Tortorolo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000032:analysis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D011516:Prothrombin; D005340:Fibrinogen
vernacular_title: Alterazione della sintesi proteica epatica nel neonato pretermine figlio di madre preeclamptica e/o con ritardo di accrescimento intrauterino.