Editor,

I read with interest the article by Marlow et al(1) on sensorineural hearing loss and prematurity. In their study of preterm infant of less that 33 weeks gestation, they put the cut-off value of serum creatinine (as one of the variables) as 60 mmol/l. My comment is regarding the cut- off of 60. In a recent study from Leeds, UK, Miall et al(2) have shown that preterm babies have higher serum creatinine and the mean value was reported to be 73 micromol/l. (95% CI: 68-79 micromol/l). Similarly, in another study from Royal Hospital London, Finney et al (3) have described the serum creatinine ranges for 29-36 weeks gestation as 27-175 micromol/l (median 75 micromol/l).

In addition to this low cut-off value of serum creatinine in preterm infants, the unit reported by Marlow et al (1)was mmol/l instead of micromol/l, which was probably a typing error, but still needed to be corrected.

Your's sincerely,

Shabih Manzar
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
King Fahd University Hospital
P.O.Box 40211, Al-Khobar 31952
Saudi Arabia

References:

1. Marlow ES, Hunt LP, Marlow N.Sensorineural hearing loss and prematurity. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2000;82:F141-F144

2. Miall LS, Henderson MJ, Turner AJ, et al. Plasma creatinine rises dramatically in the first 48 hours of life in preterm infants. Pediatrics 1999;104:e76

3. Finney H, Newman DJ, Thakkar H, et al. References ranges for plasma cystatin C and creatinine measurements in premature infants, neonates and older children. Arch Dis Child 2000;82:71-75