Analyses of the potential oxygen transfer capability in placentae from infants succumbing to sudden infant death syndrome

Autor: Paul Sibbons, Colin J. Green, D Condell, John Gillan, Tahera Ansari
Rok vydání: 2004
Předmět:
Zdroj: Early human development. 76(2)
ISSN: 0378-3782
Popis: Background : Morphometric oxygen diffusive conductance ( D p ) was estimated to assess the potential efficiency of oxygen transfer across the materno–fetal interface in placentae obtained from victims of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Study design : SIDS placentae were retrieved from archived storage and classified into normal birth weight (NBW, n =16), or small for gestational age (SGA, n =9) and compared against control placentae ( n =40) or SGA ( n =24) placentae. A combination of stereological techniques and physiological constants were used to estimate total D p . Results : SIDS NBW cases showed a crucial reduction in fetal capillary surface area when compared with control placentae. SIDS SGA showed a number of deficiencies in basic volumetric and surface area parameters. Values for total and specific D p in placentae in both SIDS groups were maintained at levels comparable with control and SGA cases, respectively. Conclusion : Since more reductions were observed in SIDS SGA group, this suggests that factors responsible for these reductions maybe associated with SGA rather than being SIDS-specific factors.
Databáze: OpenAIRE