title: Delay of liver maturation as a cause of transient neonatal galactosemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because a large amount of serum alpha-fetoprotein (alpha-FP) is synthesized in the liver of the fetus or premature newborn, high concentrations or delayed degradation of serum alpha-FP during the neonatal period may reflect hepatic immaturity.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to evaluate the relationship between transient neonatal galactosemia and delay of liver maturation, the concentration and half-life of serum alpha-FP during the neonatal period were measured in patients with transient galactosemia and in normal neonates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were observed in the serum concentration of alpha-FP between normal and galactosemic patients less than 1 month of age. However, the half-life of serum alpha-FP was significantly longer in galactosemic patients between 15 and 60 days of age compared with age-matched normal neonates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these results, we hypothesize that delay of liver maturation during the neonatal period, especially during the first 2 months after birth, can be a cause of transient neonatal galactosemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan. onohiro@mcai.med.hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mawatari
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mizoguchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamakawa
mesh_terms: D005690:Galactose / Q000097:blood; D005693:Galactosemias / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000254:growth & development*; D008403:Mass Screening; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D005690:Galactose