Evidence from different screening programs indicated that the rate of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) was higher in pre-term and low-birth-weight (LBW) newborns than normal ones. Incomplete development of hypothalamic-pituitary axis in this group of neonates results in the delayed rise of TSH and missing cases with CH. Hence, there is a great need for a practicable systematic screening method for proper diagnosis of CH in this group of neonates. In this review, we systematically reviewed papers with the following key words ([Congenital Hypothyroidism AND Screening AND Thyroxine AND Thyroid Stimulating Hormone AND Low Birth Weight AND Premature]) in international electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. After quality assessment of selected documents, data of finally included papers were extracted. In this review, 1452 papers (PubMed: 617; Scopus: 714; Google scholar: 121) were identified through electronic database search. One hundred and ninety four articles were assessed for eligibility, from which 36 qualified articles were selected for final evaluation. From the reviewed articles, 38.9%, 11.11% and 8.3% recommended rescreening in this group of neonates, lowering the screening cutoff of TSH and using cutoffs according to the gestational age, respectively. Some of them (13.9%) recommended using both TSH and T4 for screening of preterm infants. After reviewing available data, we recommend repeating the screening test in pre-term, LBW and very-low- birth-weight (VLBW) infants at age of two, six and ten weeks by measuring TSH and FT4 levels simultaneously and considering TSH = 10 mU/L as the cutoff level for positive and suspicious cases.

Paramagnetic metal ion complexes, mostly based on gadolinium (Gd³⁺), have been used for over 30 years as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. Gd³⁺-based contrast agents have a strong influence on T₁ relaxation times and are consequently the most commonly used agents in both the clinical and research environments. Zinc is an essential element involved with over 3000 different cellular proteins, and disturbances in tissue levels of zinc have been linked to a wide range of pathologies, including Alzheimer’s disease, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus. MR contrast agents that respond to the presence of Zn²⁺ in vivo offer the possibility of imaging changes in Zn²⁺ levels in real-time with the superior spatial resolution offered by MRI. Such responsive agents, often referred to as smart agents, are typically composed of a paramagnetic metal ion with a ligand encapsulating it and one or more chelating units that selectively bind with the analyte of interest. Translation of these agents into clinical radiology is the next goal. In this review, we discuss Gd³⁺-based MR contrast agents that respond to a change in local Zn²⁺ concentration.

Background/Aims: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is a common transmission mode of hepatitis B virus (HBV). It has been shown that the infection may occur in some infants despite the use of immunoprophylaxis, and many studies have demonstrated the efficacy of antivirals such as lamivudine to reduce such events. Materials and Methods: A meta-analysis was conducted concerning the efficacy and safety of lamivudine during pregnancy, in the prevention of vertical transmission of HBV infection. Studies were identified by searching various databases up to January 2016 for variations of the following phrase: “lamivudine AND (pregnancy or pregnant) AND (HBV or hepatitis).” Subjects who had received lamivudine were included in the case group, and those who had not were included in the control group. Results: Our search identified a total number of 881 citations, of which 25 studies (with a total number of 2,667 pregnant women) were included in the meta-analysis. The analysis showed a significant difference between the seropositive HBsAg infants from the case and control groups (RR= 16.97, 95% confidence interval 8.36-34.45), which is the most critical factor in determining the MTCT of HBV. No significant difference was reported between the prevalence of side effects in the case and control groups. Conclusion: This meta-analysis strongly suggests the use of lamivudine in the prevention of HBV vertical transmission in carrier pregnant women with the HBV DNA levels greater than 106 copies/mL. And for women with the HBV viral loads lower than 106 copies/mL, we suggest clinicians to examine the use of lamivudine on a case-to-case basis, noting that lamivudine seems to be a safe drug for the mother and the fetus. Cite this article as: Khalighinejad P, Alavian SM, Gholami Fesharaki M, Jalilianhasanpour R. Lamivudine’s efficacy and safety in preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B: A meta-analysis. Turk J Gastroenterol 2019; 30: 66-74.