The influence of maternal smoking on maternal and newborn oxidant and antioxidant status

Longitudinal Changes in Human Milk Minerals and Vitamins in the Chinese Population: A Scoping Review

This scoping review aims to investigate longitudinal changes in minerals and vitamins concentrations in human milk among the Chinese population. Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive and systematic literature search was conducted using both English and Chinese databases. Data were extracted and categorized into six defined lactation stages. We found that the concentration of most minerals decreased throughout the lactation period, although calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) fluctuated slightly across lactation periods. Fat-soluble vitamins also showed a decline throughout the lactation period, while water-soluble vitamins exhibited an increasing trend. However, folic acid, biotin, and pantothenic acid demonstrated a downward trend. Overall, this review has identified the longitudinal changes in minerals and vitamins concentrations in human milk among the Chinese population. In order to conduct a more in-depth examination of maternal characteristics and nutritional factors of the composition of human milk, it is recommended to utilize standardized protocols for the collection and analysis of human milk samples.

Influence of Maternal Dietary Pattern on the Pro-Oxidant and Antioxidant Status of Mother's Own Milk

BACKGROUND

Human milk is essential for a child's best development. However, what a mother eats while breastfeeding can directly influence the composition of mother's milk.

RESEARCH AIM

This study aimed to assess the antioxidant-oxidant profile of human milk and establish a connection between this profile and the dietary habits of the mothers.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Hospital Infantil e Maternidade Alzir Bernardino Alves (HIMABA), located in the municipality of Vila Velha-ES, Brazil. The sample included 98 participants. All volunteers completed a structured interview and a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Approximately 5-10 ml of colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk were manually collected. The antioxidant activity of human milk was assessed using the colorimetric method for free radical scavenging with 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid. Oxidative stress was determined by measuring lipid peroxidation through malondialdehyde concentration, evaluating advanced oxidation protein products, and assessing total protein content using the Bradford method.

RESULTS

The antioxidant profile of colostrum was higher than that observed in later phases of milk, whereas pro-oxidants increased in later phases. Maternal dietary patterns influenced the pro-oxidant status of human milk. Participants with a higher daily intake of milk, dairy products, vegetable oils, olive oils, and legumes exhibited lower levels of lipid peroxidation in colostrum, transition milk, and mature milk, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study highlights the vital role of a balanced maternal diet in shaping the pro-oxidant status of human milk, with implications for infant health.

Vitamin A Concentration in Human Milk: A Meta-Analysis

Humans require vitamin A (VA). However, pooled VA data in human milk is uncommon internationally and offers little support for dietary reference intake (DRIs) revision of infants under 6 months. As a result, we conducted a literature review and a meta-analysis to study VA concentration in breast milk throughout lactation across seven databases by August 2021. Observational or intervention studies involving nursing mothers between the ages of 18 and 45, with no recognized health concerns and who had full-term infants under 48 months were included. Studies in which retinol concentration was expressed as a mass concentration on a volume basis and determined using high-, ultra-, or ultra-fast performance liquid chromatography (HPLC, UPLC, or UFLC) were chosen. Finally, 76 papers involving 9171 samples published between 1985 and 2021 qualified for quantitative synthesis. Results from the random-effects model showed that the VA concentration of healthy term human milk decreased significantly as lactation progressed. VA (µg/L) with 95% CI at the colostrum, transitional, early mature and late mature stages being 920.7 (744.5, 1095.8), 523.7 (313.7, 733.6), 402.4 (342.5, 462.3) and 254.7 (223.7, 285.7), respectively (X2 = 71.36, p < 0.01). Subgroup analysis revealed no significant differences identified in VA concentration (µg/L) between Chinese and non-Chinese samples at each stage, being 1039.1 vs. 895.8 (p = 0.64), 505.7 vs. 542.2(p = 0.88), 408.4 vs. 401.2 (p = 0.92), 240.0 vs. 259.3 (p = 0.41). The findings have significant implications for the revision of DRIs for infants under six months.

Vitamin E concentration in breast milk in different periods of lactation: Meta-analysis

Objective

This study systematized information about vitamin E concentration in healthy breast milk during different stages of lactation in order to support the strategies of protecting postpartum women and infants.

Methods

Studies published before April 30th, 2021, which detected vitamin E concentration in breast milk of healthy women by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) or Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatographic (UHPLC), were evaluated. The databases of CNKI (Chinese), WanFang Data (Chinese), VIP (Chinese), PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Embase were searched. The random effect models were used to conduct meta-analysis by the statistical software package Stata 14.0.

Results

In all 4,791 searched publications, 53 with full text were selected, which included 46 descriptive studies, 1 case-control study, 1 non-randomized controlled trial, and 5 randomized controlled trials. The pooled mean of vitamin E concentration was 10.57 mg α-TE/L (95%CI 8.94–12.20) in colostrum, 4.03 mg α-TE/L (95%CI 3.29–4.77) in transitional milk and 3.29 mg α-TE/L (95%CI 2.95–3.64) in mature milk. Subgroup analysis showed that vitamin E concentration of colostrum in Asian countries was lower than that in Western countries in colostrum and transitional milk.

Conclusions

Vitamin E concentration in breast milk decreased during lactation until the mature milk was produced. The vitamin E concentration of colostrum in Asian countries was evidently lower than that in Western countries. The vitamin E concentration in mature milk is similar in different regions. The concentration of vitamin E in breast milk started to be stable from about 2 to 3 weeks postpartum until 4 or 6 months postpartum, but it needs additional evidence to support.

Towards the elimination of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a Lancet Commission

Despite substantial progress in reducing the global impact of many non-communicable diseases, including heart disease and cancer, morbidity and mortality due to chronic respiratory disease continues to increase. This increase is driven primarily by the growing burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and has occurred despite the identification of cigarette smoking as the major risk factor for the disease more than 50 years ago. Many factors have contributed to what must now be considered a public health emergency: failure to limit the sale and consumption of tobacco products, unchecked exposure to environmental pollutants across the life course, and the ageing of the global population (partly as a result of improved outcomes for other conditions). Additionally, despite the heterogeneity of COPD, diagnostic approaches have not changed in decades and rely almost exclusively on post-bronchodilator spirometry, which is insensitive for early pathological changes, underused, often misinterpreted, and not predictive of symptoms. Furthermore, guidelines recommend only simplistic disease classification strategies, resulting in the same therapeutic approach for patients with widely differing conditions that are almost certainly driven by variable pathophysiological mechanisms. And, compared with other diseases with similar or less morbidity and mortality, the investment of financial and intellectual resources from both the public and private sector to advance understanding of COPD, reduce exposure to known risks, and develop new therapeutics has been woefully inadequate.

Use of a Doubly Robust Machine-Learning-Based Approach to Evaluate Body Mass Index as a Modifier of the Association Between Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Preeclampsia

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans rely on summaries of the effect of dietary pattern on disease risk, independent of other population characteristics. We explored the modifying effect of prepregnancy body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m)2) on the relationship between fruit and vegetable density (cup-equivalents/1,000 kcal) and preeclampsia using data from a pregnancy cohort study conducted at 8 US medical centers (n = 9,412; 2010-2013). Usual daily periconceptional intake of total fruits and total vegetables was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire. We quantified the effects of diets with a high density of fruits (≥1.2 cups/1,000 kcal/day vs. <1.2 cups/1,000 kcal/day) and vegetables (≥1.3 cups/1,000 kcal/day vs. <1.3 cups/1,000 kcal/day) on preeclampsia risk, conditional on BMI, using a doubly robust estimator implemented in 2 stages. We found that the protective association of higher fruit density declined approximately linearly from a BMI of 20 to a BMI of 32, by 0.25 cases per 100 women per each BMI unit, and then flattened. The protective association of higher vegetable density strengthened in a linear fashion, by 0.3 cases per 100 women for every unit increase in BMI, up to a BMI of 30, where it plateaued. Dietary patterns with a high periconceptional density of fruits and vegetables appear more protective against preeclampsia for women with higher BMI than for leaner women.

High-resolution metabolomics of exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes in the Atlanta African American maternal-child cohort

Exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy has been associated with a series of adverse reproductive outcomes; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well-established. We conducted an untargeted metabolome-wide association study to identify the metabolic perturbations and molecular mechanisms underlying the association between cotinine, a widely used biomarker of tobacco exposure, and adverse birth outcomes. We collected early and late pregnancy urine samples for cotinine measurement and serum samples for high-resolution metabolomics (HRM) profiling from 105 pregnant women from the Atlanta African American Maternal-Child cohort (2014-2016). Maternal metabolome perturbations mediating prenatal tobacco smoke exposure and adverse birth outcomes were assessed by an untargeted HRM workflow using generalized linear models, followed by pathway enrichment analysis and chemical annotation, with a meet-in-the-middle approach. The median maternal urinary cotinine concentrations were 5.93 μg/g creatinine and 3.69 μg/g creatinine in early and late pregnancy, respectively. In total, 16,481 and 13,043 metabolic features were identified in serum samples at each visit from positive and negative electrospray ionization modes, respectively. Twelve metabolic pathways were found to be associated with both cotinine concentrations and adverse birth outcomes during early and late pregnancy, including tryptophan, histidine, urea cycle, arginine, and proline metabolism. We confirmed 47 metabolites associated with cotinine levels, preterm birth, and shorter gestational age, including glutamate, serine, choline, and taurine, which are closely involved in endogenous inflammation, vascular reactivity, and lipid peroxidation processes. The metabolic perturbations associated with cotinine levels were related to inflammation, oxidative stress, placental vascularization, and insulin action, which could contribute to shorter gestations. The findings will support the further understanding of potential internal responses in association with tobacco smoke exposures, especially among African American women who are disproportionately exposed to high tobacco smoke and experience higher rates of adverse birth outcomes.

Genetic and epigenetic modifications of F1 offspring's sperm cells following in utero and lactational combined exposure to nicotine and ethanol

It is well established that maternal lifestyle during pregnancy and lactation affects the intrauterine programming of F1 offspring. However, despite the co-use of alcohol and nicotine is a common habit, the effects of exposure to both substances on the reproductive system of F1 male offspring and the underlying mechanisms of developmental programming have not been investigated. The present study aimed to examine pre- and postnatal concurrent exposure to these substances on genetic and epigenetic alterations of sperm cells as well as testis properties of F1 offspring compared with exposure to each substance alone. Pregnant dams in the F0 generation randomly received normal saline, nicotine, ethanol, and combinations throughout full gestation and lactation periods. Sperm cells and testes of F1 male offspring were collected at postnatal day 90 for further experiments. High levels of sperm DNA fragmentation were observed in all exposed offspring. Regarding epigenetic alterations, there was a significant increase in the relative transcript abundance of histone deacetylase 1 and 2 in all exposed sperm cells. Moreover, despite a decrease in the expression level of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) 3A, no marked differences were found in the expression levels of DNMT1 and 3B in any of the exposed sperm cells compared to non-exposed ones. Interestingly, combined exposure had less prominent effects relative to exposure to each substance alone. The changes in the testicular and sperm parameters were compatible with genetic and epigenetic alterations. However, MDA level as an oxidative stress indicator increased in all exposed pups, which may be responsible for such outputs. In conclusion, maternal co-exposure to these substances exhibited epigenotoxicity effects on germline cells of F1 male offspring, although these effects were less marked relative to exposure to each substance alone. These counteracting effects may be explained by cross-tolerance and probably less impairment of the antioxidant defense system.

The effect of tobacco smoking during pregnancy and breastfeeding on human milk composition-a systematic review

Tobacco smoking is still a widespread habit in pregnant and breastfeeding women. While the role of these risk factors on neonatal outcomes has been deeply studied, their effect on human milk composition is still not completely clear. This study aimed to report the most up to date evidence about the alteration of breast milk composition of smoking breastfeeding mothers compared to non-smoking ones. We performed a systematic review by searching PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Evaluated data were extracted and critically analyzed by two independent authors. PRISMA guidelines were applied, and the risk of bias was assessed (ROBINS), as was the methodological quality of the included studies (GRADE). After applying the inclusion criteria, we included 20 studies assessed as medium or high quality. In all the studies, we analyzed data regarding 1769 mothers (398 smokers and 971 nonsmokers). Smoking was associated with a lower content of lipids, calories, and proteins. Moreover, it was characterized by decreased antioxidant properties and an altered immune status. Smoking during pregnancy and breastfeeding is significantly associated with an alteration of milk metabolic properties. Further studies are needed to investigate how these changes can alter newborns' development and outcomes and which molecular patterns are involved.

Neonatal outcomes and its association among gestational diabetes mellitus with and without depression, anxiety and stress symptoms in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms in gestational diabetes mellitus ranges from 10.2% to 39.9% based on previous studies in Malaysia. Presence of depression, anxiety or stress in pregnancy may increase the risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of neonatal outcomes and its association among mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus with and without the presence of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms in Malaysia.

DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Tertiary hospitals in Malaysia.

PARTICIPANTS

Mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (n = 418) who deliver their neonates at two major tertiary hospitals in Malaysia.

MEASUREMENTS

Neonatal outcomes, such as low birth weight, preterm birth, macrosomia, metabolic and electrolyte disorders, neonatal respiratory distress and congenital anomalies were determined.

FINDINGS

Prevalence of low birth weight in neonates born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus was 14.6%, followed by metabolic and electrolyte disorders 10.5%, preterm birth 9.1%, macrosomia 4.8%, neonatal respiratory distress 5.8% and congenital anomalies (2.4%). Among the adverse neonatal outcomes, neonatal respiratory distress was significantly associated with the presence of depression symptoms in mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus using univariate analysis (p = 0.010). After controlling for confounding factors, predictors for neonatal respiratory distress at delivery were the presence of depression symptoms in mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (Adjusted OR = 3.87, 95% CI = 1.32-11.35), living without a husband (Adjusted OR = 9.74, 95% CI = 2.04-46.51), preterm delivery (Adjusted OR = 7.20, 95% CI = 2.23-23.30), caesarean section (Adjusted OR = 3.33, 95% CI = 1.09-10.15), being nulliparous and primiparous (Adjusted OR = 3.62, 95% CI = 1.17-11.17) and having family history of diabetes (Adjusted OR = 3.20, 95% CI = 1.11-9.21).

KEY CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study demonstrate the positive association of neonatal respiratory distress with the presence of depression symptoms in mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

It is therefore important to identify depression symptoms after a diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant mothers is made to enable early referral and interventions.

The impact of perinatal nicotine exposure on fetal lung development and subsequent respiratory morbidity

Maternal smoking during pregnancy remains as a significant public health crisis as it did decades ago. Although its prevalence is decreasing in high-income countries, it has worsened globally, along with a concerning emergence of electronic-cigarette usage within the last two decades. Extensive epidemiologic and experimental evidence exists from both human and animal studies, demonstrating the detrimental long-term pulmonary outcomes in the offspring of mothers who smoke during pregnancy. Even secondhand and thirdhand smoke exposure to the developing lung might be as or even more harmful than firsthand smoke exposure. Furthermore, these effects are not limited only to the exposed progeny, but can also be transmitted transgenerationally. There is compelling evidence to support that the majority of the effects of perinatal smoke exposure on the developing lung, including the transgenerational transmission of asthma, is mediated by nicotine. Nicotine exposure induces cell-specific molecular changes in lungs, which offers a unique opportunity to prevent, halt, and/or reverse the resultant damage through targeted molecular interventions. Experimentally, the proposed interventions, such as administration of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists can not only block but also potentially reverse the perinatal nicotine exposure-induced respiratory morbidity in the exposed offspring. However, the development of a safe and effective intervention is still many years away. In the meantime, electropuncture at specific acupoints appears to be emerging as a more practical and safe physiologic approach to block the harmful pulmonary consequences of perinatal nicotine exposure.

Carotenoids and Markers of Oxidative Stress in Human Observational Studies and Intervention Trials: Implications for Chronic Diseases

Carotenoids include C30, C40 and C50 terpenoid-based molecules, many of which constitute coloured pigments. However, >1100 of these are known to occur in nature and only about a dozen are known to play a role in our daily diet. Carotenoids have received much attention due to their proposed health benefits, including reducing the incidence of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Many of these diseases are characterized by chronic inflammation co-occurring with oxidative stress, characterized by, for example, enhanced plasma F2-isoprostane concentrations, malondialdehyde, and 8-hydroxyguanosine. Though carotenoids can act as direct antioxidants, quenching, for example, singlet oxygen and peroxide radicals, an important biological function appears to rest also in the activation of the body's own antioxidant defence system, related to superoxide-dismutase, catalase, and glutathione-peroxidase expression, likely due to the interaction with transcription factors, such as nuclear-factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2). Though mostly based on small-scale and observational studies which do not allow for drawing conclusions regarding causality, several supplementation trials with isolated carotenoids or food items suggest positive health effects. However, negative effects have also been reported, especially regarding beta-carotene for smokers. This review is aimed at summarizing the results from human observational studies/intervention trials targeting carotenoids in relation to chronic diseases characterized by oxidative stress and markers thereof.

Maternal age has more pronounced effect on breast milk retinol and β-carotene content than maternal dietary pattern

OBJECTIVE

The effects on breast milk composition of advanced maternal age and maternal dietary habits during pregnancy and lactation have not, to our knowledge, been investigated in southeastern Europe and the Balkans. The aim of this study was to compare the content of retinol and β-carotene in colostrum and mature milk samples obtained from different maternal age (MA) groups and to assess the potential relationship with maternal and demographic characteristics, dietary patterns, and lifestyle habits during pregnancy and lactation.

METHODS

Forty-three nursing mothers were divided in two groups according to MA: ≥35 y of age (n = 22) and <35 y of age (n = 21). Total lipid concentrations were determined by gravimetric method, whereas retinol and β-carotene contents were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography method. Dietary patterns during pregnancy and lactation were assessed using food frequency questionnaires, and principal component analysis (PCA) statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Except for retinol levels in mature milk, significantly higher levels of total fats, retinol, and β-carotene were found in the older group. Results of PCA analysis showed that MA was strongly correlated with fat content, retinol, and β-carotene levels in colostrum samples, whereas in mature milk samples MA was highly correlated with fat content and moderately with β-carotene. In terms of dietary patterns, retinol contents in milk samples from both groups were weakly to moderately correlated with consumption frequency of eggs, meat, milk and dairy products, whereas β-carotene contents were weakly to strongly associated with consumption frequency of fruits and vegetables.

CONCLUSIONS

PCA analysis used in the study clearly confirmed that MA, total lipids, retinol, and β-carotene levels might serve as a good criterion for delimitation of breast milk samples collected in different stages of lactation from mothers of various ages. The present findings could represent key basis for further investigations.

Influence of Active Exposure to Tobacco Smoke on Nitric Oxide Status of Pregnant Women

Smoking tobacco can impair proper vascular endothelial functioning. This is exhibited through reduced nitric oxide synthesis as well as activity due to accompanying oxidative stress. We examined the relationship between nitric oxide and markers of oxidative stress/antioxidant defense in serum of smoking and non-smoking pregnant women. Subjects included 99 healthy pregnant women, who were tested for nitric oxide (NO), endothelial (eNOS) and inducible (iNOS) nitric oxide synthase, total oxidant capacity (TOC), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). NO, eNOS, and TAC serum concentrations were significantly lower (p < 0.005), but iNOS (p < 0.05) and TOC (p < 0.001) were higher in smokers than in non-smokers. Multivariate regression analysis showed associations between NO concentration and eNOS, TAC, and smoking status in the whole group of patients. In the model estimated separately for smokers, the highest impact of eNOS (β = 0.375; p = 0.021) and cotinine (β = −0.323; p = 0.037) was indicated for NO concentration. In the model of non-smokers, eNOS (β = 0.291, p = 0.030) and TAC (β = 0.350; p = 0.015) were important for NO level. Smoking during pregnancy could exacerbate oxidative stress, impair the action of nitric oxide synthases, and adversely affect the balance of oxygen and nitrogen metabolism. Relationships between NO concentrations and TAC in the studied women’s blood can confirm the antioxidant nature of nitric oxide.

Vitamins A and E during Pregnancy and Allergy Symptoms in an Early Childhood-Lack of Association with Tobacco Smoke Exposure

Epidemiological studies have suggested an association between maternal antioxidant levels during pregnancy and development of allergic diseases in their offspring. The aim of the study was to determine plasma vitamins A and E concentration in the 1st trimester of pregnancy, at delivery and in cord blood and to search for a relationship with allergy in up to 2-year-old children who were prenatally exposed or not exposed to tobacco smoke. The study participants included 252 mother-child pairs from Polish Mother and Child Cohort. Vitamin concentrations were measured using the HPLC-UV method, smoking status&mdash;as saliva cotinine level using the HPLC-MS/MS technique. Children&rsquo;s health status was assessed using a questionnaire and pediatricians/allergists examination. Cord plasma vitamin concentrations were significantly lower than their levels in maternal plasma in the 1sttrimester and at delivery (p < 0.001). Significantly higher concentrations of vitamin E have been shown to occur during the 1st trimester of pregnancy in plasma of the women who have actively/passively smoked cigarettes compared to the non-smokers (p < 0.02). Multivariate analysis with inclusion of a variety of confounding factors have not indicated any statistically significant associations between &beta;-carotene, vitamins A and E and the risk of food allergy, atopic dermatitis and wheezing in their children up to 2 years of age. The interaction between smoking during pregnancy and vitamins levels on the risk of allergy was not statistically significant (p < 0.4). The relationship between plasma concentration of vitamins A and E, and the risk of allergy in their young children has not been demonstrated.

The investigation of effect of alpha lipoic acid against damage on neonatal rat lung to maternal tobacco smoke exposure

This study was carried out to determine the changes in the lungs of the rat pups exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy period and to investigate the protective effects of alpha lipoic acid, which is administered during pregnancy, on these changes. Spraque-Dawley female rats were divided into four groups: control, tobacco smoke (TS), tobacco smoke + alpha lipoic acid (TS + ALA) and alpha lipoic acid (ALA). The rats in control group were untreated. Rats were exposed to TS twice a day for one hour starting from eight weeks before mating and during pregnancy. 20 mg / kg of ALA was administered to rats. On 7th and 21st days 7 of the pups from each group were decapitated. Histological, morphometric, biochemical and quantitative real-time RT-PCR analyzes were performed. Histopathological and biochemical changes were observed in TS group. While a significant decrease was observed both in SP-A and VEGF immunoreactivities and mRNA levels, caspase-3 immunoreactivity and TUNEL positive cells were increased in TS group. It is suggested that prenatal TS exposure leads to morphological and histopathological changes on lung development by causing oxidative damage in lungs of neonatal rats and the maternal use of ALA can provide a limited protective effect on the neonatal lung development against this oxidative stress originating from TS. Although pregnant women are increasingly aware on health risks of smoking, environmental tobacco smoke exposure is still a widespread problem. For this reason, it is thought that this damage can be partially reduced by some antioxidant supplements in pregnancy.

Vitamin A intake of Brazilian mothers and retinol concentrations in maternal blood, human milk, and the umbilical cord

Objectives To analyse intake of vitamin A (VA) and retinol concentrations in maternal blood, breast milk (BM), and the umbilical cord (UC) of newborns, and to determine the associations among these variables. Methods We performed a cross-sectional, epidemiological study of 180 mother-newborn dyads. Maternal and UC blood samples and BM were collected. VA intake by the mother over 30 days was assessed using a questionnaire. Results Mean retinol concentrations in maternal serum, the UC, and BM were 0.65 ± 0.27, 0.36 ± 0.18, and 2.95 ± 2.70 µmol/L, respectively. Retinol concentrations <0.70 µmol/L were found in 57.2% of maternal blood samples and in 94.9% of UC samples. A total of 27.9% of BM samples showed retinol concentrations <1.05 µmol/L. Mean VA intake by the mothers was 1041.33 ± 1187.86 µg retinol activity equivalents/day and was inadequate (<550 µg retinol activity equivalents/day) in 44.7%. Conclusions High proportions of insufficient retinol concentrations were observed in the UC, maternal blood, and BM. A high percentage of pregnant women had inadequate VA intake. Mothers with insufficient serum retinol concentrations had newborns with lower retinol concentrations in the UC. Higher retinol concentrations were observed in maternal blood and the UC with a higher VA intake.

Awareness of health effects of exposure to secondhand smoke from cigarettes: A cross-sectional study of never-smoked adult primary care patients in Eastern Nigeria

Background:

Cigarette smoking whether actively or passively is a growing public health problem. Despite the wealth of information on the hazards of active cigarette smoking, awareness of the health effects of passive smoking on human population is often neglected in Nigeria.

Aim:

The study was aimed at describing the awareness of health effects of exposure to secondhand smoke from cigarettes among never-smoked adult primary care patients in Eastern Nigeria.

Materials and Methods:

A hospital-based study carried out on a cross-section of 500 adult patients in a primary care clinic in Nigeria. Data were collected using pretested, structured, and interviewer-administered questionnaire. Exposure to secondhand smoke was defined as exposure to cigarette smoke in a never-smoked adult patient in the previous 1 year. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21 for the calculation of percentages for categorical variables. Bivariate analysis involving Chi-square test was used to test for significance of association between categorical variables at P < 0.05.

Results:

The age of the respondents ranged from 18 to 74 years, with a mean age of 36 ± 12.4 years. There were 180 (36.0%) males with 320 (64%) females, with a sex ratio of 1.8. Awareness of general health effects of secondhand smoke on adults, children, and pregnant women was 95.6%, 92.8%, and 65.2%, respectively. The most common specific health effects the respondents were aware for adults, children, and obstetric population were lung cancer (95.6%), precipitation of asthmatic condition (92.8%), and delivery of small babies (65.2%), respectively. The predominant source of awareness of information was radio (93.6%). Awareness of general health effects of exposure to secondhand smoke on adults (P = 0.041), children (P = 0.031), and obstetrics population (P = 0.02) was significantly associated with exposure status.

Conclusion:

The most common health effects of secondhand smoke the respondents had highest awareness were lung cancer, precipitation of asthmatic attacks, and delivery of small babies in adults, children, and obstetric population, respectively. Awareness of general health effects on adults, children, and obstetrics population was significantly associated with exposure status. The current level of awareness should be improved while effort should be intensified to address identified areas of low level of awareness.

The consequence of phototherapy exposure on oxidative stress status of expressed human milk

OBJECTIVE

There exists evidence that phototherapy can disturb the oxidant/antioxidant balance in favor of oxidants. If phototherapy is continued during tube feeding in preterms, expressed human milk is subjected to phototherapy lights for about 20 min per feeding. We aimed to investigate the effects of phototherapy lights on oxidative/antioxidative status of expressed human milk.

STUDY DESIGN

Milk samples of 50 healthy mothers were grouped as control and phototherapy and exposed to 20 min of day-light and phototherapy light, respectively. Total antioxidant capacity (mmol-Trolox equiv/L) and total oxidant status (mmol-H₂O₂/L) in expressed human milk samples were measured.

RESULTS

Levels of antioxidant capacity of the expressed human milks in the phototherapy group were lower than those of the control group [mmol-Trolox equiv/L; median (interquartile-range): 1.30 (0.89-1.65) and 1.77 (1.51-2.06), p: < .001]. Levels of oxidant status were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that phototherapy decreased antioxidant capacity of expressed human milk without any alteration in oxidative status. We think that this observation is important for the care of very low birth weighted infants who have limited antioxidant capacity and are vulnerable to oxidative stress. It may be advisable either to turn off the phototherapy or cover the tube and syringe to preserve antioxidant capacity of human milk during simultaneous tube feeding and phototherapy treatment.

Does environmental cigarette smoke affect breastfeeding behavior?

BACKGROUND:

Exposure of lactating women to environmental cigarette smoke may increase cotinine in breast milk, which in turn may reduce the volume of milk and the duration of breastfeeding.

OBJECTIVES:

To assess the relationship between exposure to environmental cigarette smoke and breastfeeding behavior.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This prospective cohort study was conducted on 290 mothers in Babol - Iran, who had been breastfeeding for 3–5 days after delivery. The lactating mothers were divided into two groups: those exposed to environmental cigarette smoke, and those free from smoke exposure. The study questionnaire included demographic data, information on environmental cigarette smoke, and breastfeeding behavior. Data was collected through telephone interviews at 2, 4, and 6 months of follow-up. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, and test of significance using Chi-square test, t-test, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS:

The continuation of breastfeeding for the group of exposed mothers and the unexposed group was (mean ± standard deviation) 5.57 ± 0.098 and 5.58 ± 0.109, respectively in 6 months of follow-up. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.93). The percentage of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months in the group exposed to cigarette smoke was 65% compared to 76% of the nonexposed group. However, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.149).

CONCLUSIONS:

In this study, no significant association was observed between the group exposed to environmental cigarette smoke and the nonexposed group in breastfeeding behavior, although the percentage of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months was less in the group exposed to environmental cigarette smoke. Further exploratory studies are needed.

Tobacco smoking and breastfeeding: Effect on the lactation process, breast milk composition and infant development. A critical review

Approximately 10% of women report smoking during pregnancy. The number of breastfeeding women who relapse back to smoking is even greater. Smoking may cause adverse changes to the milk's composition by not only reducing its protective properties, but also by affecting the infant's health. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these adverse effects are not entirely known. This article is a review of previous reports about the effects of smoking on the lactation process, breast milk composition and infant development. A systematic search for English language articles published until 2015 was made, using a MEDLINE data. The key search terms were "smoking and breastfeeding", "smoking and lactation", "smoking and milk composition", "nicotine and breast milk". Studies have shown that nicotine levels in breast milk of women who smoke are three times higher than those in the plasma levels. Breast milk volume is reduced and the duration of lactation period is shorter. Smoking causes adverse changes to the milk's composition by not only reducing its protective properties, but also affecting infants' response to breastfeeding and to breast milk.

Association between maternal vitamin E status and alpha-tocopherol levels in the newborn and colostrum

Vitamin E is important because of its antioxidant activity in situations of oxidative stress, especially postnatally. Hence, the objective was to verify whether maternal alpha-tocopherol level is associated with the alpha-tocopherol levels of the newborn and colostrum. This is a cross-sectional study of 58 women and their term newborns from a public hospital. Blood and colostrum were collected to measure alpha-tocopherol levels by high-performance liquid chromatography. Mothers with serum alpha-tocopherol levels <16.2 mmol L(-1) and newborns <11.6 mmol L(-1) were indicative of deficiency or low levels. Mothers were divided into two groups: <16.2 mmol L(-1) and those with levels ≥16.2 mmol L(-1) . The mean (95% confidence interval) serum alpha-tocopherol levels of mothers, umbilical cords and colostrum were 28 (24-32), 6 (5-8) and 39 mmol L(-1) (32-45), respectively (P < 0.001); 19% of the women and 90% of the newborns had low alpha-tocopherol levels. Maternal alpha-tocopherol level was associated with that of the umbilical cord. Newborns from mothers at risk of deficiency had low alpha-tocopherol levels (P < 0.001). Colostrum levels of vitamin E were not influenced by maternal serum. Maternal deficiency influenced the vitamin E level of the umbilical cord but does not in the colostrum, evidencing distinct transfer mechanisms via the mammary gland.

Cord Blood Adiponectin and Visfatin Concentrations in relation to Oxidative Stress Markers in Neonates Exposed and Nonexposed In Utero to Tobacco Smoke

Aims. Maternal smoking is considered as a source of oxidative stress, which has been implicated to disrupted adipokines expression in adipose tissue. We examined the relationship between selected adipokines and markers of oxidative stress/antioxidant defence in the umbilical cord of neonates exposed and nonexposed in utero to tobacco smoke. Methods. Subjects including 85 healthy neonates (born to 41 smokers and 44 nonsmokers) were tested for adiponectin, visfatin, oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), total oxidant capacity (TOC), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Results. Cord serum visfatin, ox-LDL, and TOC were significantly higher (p < 0.001) but adiponectin and TAC were lower (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, resp.) in smoking group than in tobacco abstinents. In whole group of children (adjusted for smoking status, gender, and birth weight) adiponectin showed negative and visfatin positive correlations with ox-LDL. In the model estimated separately for smokers ox-LDL explained 36% of adiponectin and 35.5% of visfatin variance, while in the model of nonsmokers it explained 36.8% and 69.4%, respectively. Conclusion. Maternal smoking enhances oxidative status and depletes antioxidant potential in newborns. Lower level of adiponectin and higher visfatin concentration seem to be related with a less beneficial oxidative stress profile and higher level of lipid peroxidation in neonates exposed and nonexposed in utero to tobacco smoke.

The Role of Nicotine in the Effects of Maternal Smoking during Pregnancy on Lung Development and Childhood Respiratory Disease. Implications for Dangers of E-Cigarettes

Use of e-cigarettes, especially among the young, is increasing at near-exponential rates. This is coupled with a perception that e-cigarettes are safe and with unlimited advertising geared toward vulnerable populations, the groups most likely to smoke or vape during pregnancy. There is now wide appreciation of the dangers of maternal smoking during pregnancy and the lifelong consequences this has on offspring lung function, including the increased risk of childhood wheezing and subsequent asthma. Recent evidence strongly supports that much of the effect of smoking during pregnancy on offspring lung function is mediated by nicotine, making it highly likely that e-cigarette use during pregnancy will have the same harmful effects on offspring lung function and health as do conventional cigarettes. In fact, the evidence for nicotine being the mediator of harm of conventional cigarettes may be most compelling for its effects on lung development. This raises concerns about both the combined use of e-cigarettes plus conventional cigarettes by smokers during pregnancy as well as the use of e-cigarettes by e-cigarette-only users who think them safe or by those sufficiently addicted to nicotine to not be able to quit e-cigarette usage during pregnancy. Thus, it is important for health professionals to be aware of the risks of e-cigarette usage during pregnancy, particularly as it pertains to offspring respiratory health.

Retinol and Alpha-tocopherol in the Colostrum of Lactating Tunisian Women Delivering Prematurely: Associations with Maternal Characteristics

BACKGROUND

This study aims to assess vitamin A and E concentrations in the premature colostrum of lactating Tunisian women and to identify maternal characteristics that may affect these concentrations.

METHODS

Human colostrum was obtained from 105 mothers who gave birth prematurely in the Centre for Maternity and Neonatology of Tunis (Tunisia). Retinol and alpha-tocopherol were analyzed in the colostrum and in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

Retinol and alpha-tocopherol concentrations were 57.5 ± 50.1 μg/dL and 1222 ± 772 μg/dL in the colostrum, respectively, and 51.7 ± 20.0 μg/dL and 1351 ± 772 μg/dL in plasma, respectively. Concentrations of each vitamin in the colostrum were positively correlated with their respective concentrations in plasma (r = 0.415, p = 0.001 for retinol and r = 0.392, p = 0.003 for alpha-tocopherol). In multivariate analysis, colostrum vitamin A was associated with plasma vitamin A and preeclampsia, while colostrum vitamin E was associated with plasma vitamin E, gestational age, and preeclampsia.

CONCLUSION

In Tunisian women, colostrum vitamin A and E levels are close to the average values reported in the literature. The levels are too low to cover the needs of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, particularly in women with plasma vitamin deficiencies, preeclampsia, or very premature delivery. Given the undeniable beneficial effects of human colostrum, whenever feasible, VLBW infants should be fed colostrum. Infant vitamin A and E requirements should be met by milk fortification or supplementation.

α-Tocopherol in breast milk of women with preterm delivery after a single postpartum oral dose of vitamin E

We evaluated the effect of maternal vitamin E supplementation on the α-tocopherol concentrations of colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk of women who had given birth prematurely. This longitudinal randomised-controlled trial divided eighty-nine women into two groups: a control group and a supplemented group. Blood and breast milk were collected from all the participants after delivery. Next, each woman in the supplemented group received 400 IU of RRR-α-tocopheryl acetate. Further breast milk samples were collected 24 h after the first collection, as well as 7 and 30 d after delivery. α-Tocopherol concentrations were determined by HPLC. The baseline α-tocopherol concentrations in the maternal serum of the two groups were similar: 1159·8 (sd 292·4) μg/dl (27·0 (SD 6·8) μmol/l) for the control group and 1128·3 (sd 407·2) μg/dl (26·2 (SD 9·5) μmol/l) for the supplemented group. None of the women was vitamin E deficient. Breast milk α-tocopherol concentrations increased by 60 % 24 h after supplementation in the intervention group and did not increase at all in the control group. α-Tocopherol concentration of the transitional milk in the supplemented group was 35 % higher compared with the control group. α-Tocopherol concentrations of the mature milk in both groups were similar. Maternal supplementation with 400 IU of RRR-α-tocopherol increased the vitamin E concentrations of the colostrum and transitional milk, but not of the mature milk. This study presents relevant information for the design of strategies to prevent and combat vitamin E deficiency in the risk group of preterm infants.

Retinol and α-tocopherol in human milk and their relationship with dietary intake during lactation

Human milk is considered as an optimal nutrition source for neonates, and vitamins A and E improve oxidative stress in offspring through breast milk.

Modification of additive effect between vitamins and ETS on childhood asthma risk according to GSTP1 polymorphism: a cross -sectional study

Background

Asthma is characterized by airway inflammation, and bronchial airways are particularly susceptible to oxidant-induced tissue damage.

Objective

To investigate the effect of dietary antioxidant intake and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on the risk of childhood asthma according to genotypes susceptible to airway diseases.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 1124 elementary school children aged 7–12 years old. Asthma symptoms and smoking history were measured using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. Intake of vitamin A (including retinol and β-carotene), C, and E was measured by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). GSTP1 polymorphisms were genotyped from peripheral blood samples.

Results

ETS was significantly associated with presence of asthma symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.48; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.29–4.76) and diagnosis (aOR, 1.91; 95 % CI, 1.19–3.06). Dietary antioxidant intake was not associated with asthma symptoms, although ETS plus low vitamin A intake showed a significant positive association with asthma diagnosis (aOR, 2.23; 95 % CI, 1.10–4.54). Children with AA at nucleotide 1695 in GSTP1 who had been exposed to ETS and a low vitamin A intake have an increased risk of asthma diagnosis (aOR, 4.44; 95 % CI,1.58–12.52) compared with children who had not been exposed to the two risk factors. However, ETS exposure and low vitamin A intake did not significantly increase odds of asthma diagnosis in children with AG or GG genotypes.

Conclusion

Low vitamin A intake and ETS exposure may increase oxidative stress and thereby risk for childhood asthma. These relationships may be modified by gene susceptibility alleles of GSTP1.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12890-015-0093-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Amelioration strategies fail to prevent tobacco smoke effects on neurodifferentiation: Nicotinic receptor blockade, antioxidants, methyl donors

Tobacco smoke exposure is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. We used neuronotypic PC12 cells to evaluate the mechanisms by which tobacco smoke extract (TSE) affects neurodifferentiation. In undifferentiated cells, TSE impaired DNA synthesis and cell numbers to a much greater extent than nicotine alone; TSE also impaired cell viability to a small extent. In differentiating cells, TSE enhanced cell growth at the expense of cell numbers and promoted emergence of the dopaminergic phenotype. Nicotinic receptor blockade with mecamylamine was ineffective in preventing the adverse effects of TSE and actually enhanced the effect of TSE on the dopamine phenotype. A mixture of antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, N-acetyl-l-cysteine) provided partial protection against cell loss but also promoted loss of the cholinergic phenotype in response to TSE. Notably, the antioxidants themselves altered neurodifferentiation, reducing cell numbers and promoting the cholinergic phenotype at the expense of the dopaminergic phenotype, an effect that was most prominent for N-acetyl-l-cysteine. Treatment with methyl donors (vitamin B12, folic acid, choline) had no protectant effect and actually enhanced the cell loss evoked by TSE; they did have a minor, synergistic interaction with antioxidants protecting against TSE effects on growth. Thus, components of tobacco smoke perturb neurodifferentiation through mechanisms that cannot be attributed to the individual effects of nicotine, oxidative stress or interference with one-carbon metabolism. Consequently, attempted amelioration strategies may be partially effective at best, or, as seen here, can actually aggravate injury by interfering with normal developmental signals and/or by sensitizing cells to TSE effects on neurodifferentiation.

Vitamin E concentration in human milk and associated factors: a literature review

OBJECTIVE

To systematize information about vitamin E concentration in human milk and the variables associated with this composition in order to find possible causes of deficiency, supporting strategies to prevent it in postpartum women and infants.

SOURCE

Studies published between 2004 and 2014 that assayed alpha-tocopherol in human milk of healthy women by high performance liquid chromatography were evaluated. The keywords used were "vitamin E", "alpha-tocopherol", "milk, human", "lactation", and equivalents in Portuguese, in the BIREME, CAPES, PubMed, SciELO, ISI Web of Knowledge, HighWire Press, Ingenta, and Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations databases.

SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS

Of the 41 publications found on the subject, 25 whose full text was available and met the inclusion criteria were selected. The alpha-tocopherol concentrations found in milk were similar in most populations studied. The variable phase of lactation was shown to influence vitamin E content in milk, which is reduced until the mature milk appears. Maternal variables parity, anthropometric nutritional status, socioeconomic status, and habitual dietary intake did not appear to affect the alpha-tocopherol levels in milk. However, the influence of the variables maternal age, gestational age, biochemical nutritional status in alpha-tocopherol, and maternal supplementation with vitamin E had conflicting results in the literature.

CONCLUSION

Alpha-tocopherol concentration in milk decreases during lactation, until the mature milk appears. To confirm the influence of some maternal and child variables on milk vitamin E content, further studies with adequate design are needed.

Maternal smoking does not influence vitamin A and E concentrations in mature breastmilk

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of maternal smoking on the total antioxidant status (TAS) and the concentrations of vitamins A and E in human breastmilk.

METHODOLOGY

The study group (n=20) comprised postpartum women who declared smoking more than five cigarettes per day (confirmed by urinalysis of the cotinine concentration). The control group included 25 nonsmoking postpartum women. Breastmilk samples were collected between day 30 and day 32 after delivery. TAS was determined by Rice-Evans and Miller method, whereas the amount of vitamins A and E was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

No significant differences were observed between breastmilk samples from smoking and nonsmoking mothers in terms of TAS and vitamin A and E concentrations. Additionally, no significant correlations were found between urinary cotinine and TAS (R=0.35, p=0.144) or vitamin A (R=0.14, p=0.571) and vitamin E (R=0.31, p=0.228) concentrations in breastmilk samples from smoking mothers.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal smoking is not reflected by decreased TAS and vitamin A and E concentrations in mature milk.

Maternal and fetal origins of lung disease in adulthood

This review focuses on genetic and environmental influences that result in long term alterations in lung structure and function. Environmental factors operating during fetal and early postnatal life can have persistent effects on lung development and so influence lung function and respiratory health throughout life. Common factors affecting the quality of the intrauterine environment that can alter lung development include fetal nutrient and oxygen availability leading to intrauterine growth restriction, fetal intrathoracic space, intrauterine infection or inflammation, maternal tobacco smoking and other drug exposures. Similarly, factors that operate during early postnatal life, such as mechanical ventilation and high FiO(2) in the case of preterm birth, undernutrition, exposure to tobacco smoke and respiratory infections, can all lead to persistent alterations in lung structure and function. Greater awareness of the many prenatal and early postnatal factors that can alter lung development will help to improve lung development and hence respiratory health throughout life.

The influence of active and passive smoking during pregnancy on umbilical cord blood levels of vitamins A and E and neonatal anthropometric indices

Smoking during pregnancy has been shown to be detrimental for the developing fetus. The effects of active and passive maternal smoking on umbilical cord serum levels of vitamin A and vitamin E were examined. Secondary measures included anthropometric parameters in the newborn. Maternal and umbilical cord serum levels of vitamins A and E were measured at delivery. The mothers were assigned to three groups: non-smoking (n 12); passive smoking (n 13); active smoking (n 18). Based on multivariate linear regressions, active smoking during pregnancy was associated with increased umbilical cord serum levels of vitamin A and vitamin E. While enhanced circulating levels of vitamin A in cord blood were also found in non-smoking mothers exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy, those of vitamin E were not influenced. Further, an inverse association between smoking behaviour during pregnancy and birth length was observed, with shortest length in active smokers followed by passive smoking mothers. Active and passive maternal smoking behaviour during pregnancy increases the fetal demand for antioxidant compounds in order to counteract the oxidative burden by cigarette smoke. Against this background, the observed increase in umbilical cord serum levels of vitamins A and E may subserve antioxidative processes in response to tobacco smoke-induced oxidative stress. This would reduce the availability of vitamins A and E for fetal maturation, which is critical inasmuch as both compounds are indispensable for the developing fetus. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of our observation, this line of reasoning definitely requires validation in cause-effect experiments in the future.

Sudanese women's and neonates' vitamin A status

We have determined and compared the concentration levels of retinol and β-carotene in the plasma of three Sudanese women groups (displaced southern Sudanese women (DSSW), non-displaced southern Sudanese (NDSSW) and northern Sudanese women (NSW)), who were either pregnant or non-pregnant; and in their neonates (cord plasma). Plasma samples were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography using reversed-phase column and diode-array detectors. The results revealed that retinol and β-carotene in the plasma of non-pregnant and pregnant women in the three groups were very low compared with studies reported elsewhere. Over 50% of pregnant DSSW and NDSSW had a low concentration of retinol plasma (< 0.70 µmol/L), and about 15-20% were deficient (< 0.35 µmol/L) according to World Health Organization criteria. Although the average retinol concentration in the plasma of pregnant NSW was > 0.70 µmol/L, which suggests sufficiency status, 32% showed lower levels and 10% were deficient. Plasma retinol β-carotene levels in the neonates' cords were also lower than their mothers and in comparison with other studies. These findings are in agreement with previous survey data and clinical reports, which also suggest that vitamin A deficiency is of great concern in the country. We concluded that insufficient intake of food of animal origin and repeated malarial and other parasitic diseases are the most likely causes of vitamin A deficiency.

Life-long programming implications of exposure to tobacco smoking and nicotine before and soon after birth: evidence for altered lung development

Tobacco smoking during pregnancy remains common, especially in indigenous communities, and likely contributes to respiratory illness in exposed offspring. It is now well established that components of tobacco smoke, notably nicotine, can affect multiple organs in the fetus and newborn, potentially with life-long consequences. Recent studies have shown that nicotine can permanently affect the developing lung such that its final structure and function are adversely affected; these changes can increase the risk of respiratory illness and accelerate the decline in lung function with age. In this review we discuss the impact of maternal smoking on the lungs and consider the evidence that smoking can have life-long, programming consequences for exposed offspring. Exposure to maternal tobacco smoking and nicotine intake during pregnancy and lactation changes the genetic program that controls the development and aging of the lungs of the offspring. Changes in the conducting airways and alveoli reduce lung function in exposed offspring, rendering the lungs more susceptible to obstructive lung disease and accelerating lung aging. Although it is generally accepted that prevention of maternal smoking during pregnancy and lactation is essential, current knowledge of the effects of nicotine on lung development does not support the use of nicotine replacement therapy in this group.

Prenatal nicotine exposure in rhesus monkeys compromises development of brainstem and cardiac monoamine pathways involved in perinatal adaptation and sudden infant death syndrome: amelioration by vitamin C

Maternal smoking during pregnancy greatly enhances perinatal morbidity/mortality and is the major risk factor for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Studies in developing rodents indicate that nicotine is a neuroteratogen that targets monoamine pathways involved in the responses to hypoxia that are in turn, hypothesized to contribute to these adverse events. We administered nicotine to pregnant Rhesus monkeys from gestational day 30 through 160 by continuous infusion, achieving maternal plasma levels comparable to those in smokers; we examined neurochemical parameters immediately after Cesarean delivery at the end of the exposure period. Nicotine evoked elevations in brainstem serotonin levels and serotonin turnover, indicating hyperactivity of these pathways. The same treatment evoked a deficit in cardiac norepinephrine levels. Both effects were offset by coadministration of the antioxidant, Vitamin C. Brainstem serotonin hyperinnervation is a hallmark of SIDS, and the hyperactivity seen here can also account for the downregulation of serotonin receptors noted in this disorder. Deficient cardiac sympathetic innervation is also consistent with increased vulnerability to hypoxia during delivery or in the agonal event in SIDS. Our results thus indicate that nicotine exposure in a primate model produces brainstem and autonomic abnormalities of the key monoamine systems that govern the response to hypoxia, indicate an important role of oxidative stress in the adverse effects, and point to potential amelioration strategies that could offset these particular effects of nicotine.

The effect of tobacco smoking during pregnancy on plasma oxidant and antioxidant status in mother and newborn

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of tobacco smoking during pregnancy on oxidative damage and antioxidant defence in matched samples of maternal blood and cord blood.

STUDY DESIGN

Healthy, pregnant women (n=140) were divided into non-smoking and smoking groups according to the concentration of cotinine in serum and urine. Oxidative damage was measured through levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and plasma antioxidant status was evaluated by measuring concentrations of total radical trapping parameters (TRAP) and selected antioxidants (β-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin E, uric acid). Statistical analysis was done using the SAS System for Windows (SAS Institute, Cary, NC).

RESULTS

In the course of pregnancy the concentration of MDA increased, but to higher values in smoking women than in non-smoking ones. It was accompanied by significantly lower TRAP in the smoking group than in the controls (p<0.05). Plasma concentration of uric acid (p<0.05) and antioxidant vitamins E (p<0.01), A and β-carotene (p<0.0001) were all reduced in smokers as compared with non-smoking pregnant women especially in the third trimester. Concentration of MDA in plasma of cord blood of newborns of smoking mothers was significantly higher (p<0.01) but the antioxidant defence was lower (p<0.0001) than in non-smoking ones. It was particularly pronounced for β-carotene (32%; p<0.0001) and vitamin A (28%; p<0.001). A significant negative correlation was found between MDA and TRAP levels of maternal plasma (non-smoking and smoking: r=-0.50, p<0.0001) and cord plasma (non-smoking: r=-0.54, p=0.0057; smoking: r=-0.71, p=0.0004) in all the study subjects. Total antioxidant status positively correlated with concentrations of uric acid and vitamin E in non-smoking and smoking mothers as well as their newborns.

CONCLUSION

Tobacco smoke enhances lipid peroxidation and depletes antioxidant potential in the plasma of pregnant women and umbilical cord blood. Therefore smoking during pregnancy may stimulate free radical damage in the mother and the growing fetus.

Proposed Recommended Nutrient Densities for Moderately Malnourished Children

Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) are set for healthy individuals living in clean environments. There are no generally accepted RNIs for those with moderate malnutrition, wasting, and stunting, who live in poor environments. Two sets of recommendations are made for the dietary intake of 30 essential nutrients in children with moderate malnutrition who require accelerated growth to regain normality: first, for those moderately malnourished children who will receive specially formulated foods and diets; and second, for those who are to take mixtures of locally available foods over a longer term to treat or prevent moderate stunting and wasting. Because of the change in definition of severe malnutrition, much of the older literature is pertinent to the moderately wasted or stunted child. A factorial approach has been used in deriving the recommendations for both functional, protective nutrients (type I) and growth nutrients (type II).