Program-specific Professor MASAHIKO KAWAI
Neonatal medicine achieved excellent results in in Japan for these several decades. But shortage of neonatologist is becoming a barrier to maintain standard neonatal medicine for the future. In order to attract young doctors and increase a number of neonatologists, we considered that an academic interest of neonatology should be established. Through the training of research, we also train clinical skills necessary for neonatal medicine.
Research and Education
Current progress of Neonatal Medicine enabled the survival of extremely premature babies and babies with severe fetal growth restriction, but their developmental outcome is not good enough. In order to achieve a better outcome, we need to investigate the physiology of such small infants and clarify their pathogenesis in more detail.
# Research Theme
1) In preterm infants, endocrinological problem such as hypothyroxinemia, relative adrenal insufficiency, hypoglycemia and metabolic bone disease is common. These problems could affect not only their somatic growth but also psychomotor development.
2) For SGA (Small for gestational age) infants, fetus try to adjust their growth to the unfavorable intrauterine environment. It enables their lives, but they need to accept their future health problems. It includes not only metabolic sequence but also neural impairment.
We are trying to clarify these mechanisms, and innovate new strategy for treatment.
Our research subkjects are small babies. Thyey are surrounded by the many mechanicalitems. We are tring to clarify their pathogenesis.
This is a symbol mark for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Kyoto University Hospital. We are researching under this symbol.
Recent Publications
- Yamamoto A, Motokura K, Iwanaga K, Niwa F, Takita J, Kawai M. Glucocorticoid receptor expression pattern in very low birth weight infants changes drastically within the first week of life. Horm Res Pediatr 2022: doi:10.1159/000526915
- Motokura K, Tomotaki S, Hanaoka S, Yamauchi T, Tomotaki H, Iwanaga K, Niwa F, MD, Takita J, Kawai M. Appropriate Phosphorus Intake by Parenteral Nutrition Prevents Metabolic Bone Disease of Prematurity in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 2020 Aug 12.doi: 10.1002/jpen.1993.
- Hanaoka S, Iwanaga K, Tomotaki S, Niwa F, MD, Takita J, Kawai M. Antenatal corticosteroids for threatened labor fascilitate thyroid maturation among preterm neonates. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2020 Nov;93(5):613-619. doi: 10.1111/cen.14272.
- Yamamoto A, Iwanaga K, Matsukura T, Niwa F, Morimoto T, Takita J, Kawai M. Response of preterm infants with transient hypothyroxinemia of prematurity to the thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test is characterized by a delayed decrease in thyroid stimulating hormone after the peak. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2020 Nov;93(5):605-612. doi: 10.1111/cen.14260.
- Iwanaga K, Matsukura T, Niwa F, Kawai M. CRH stimulation tests for the infants with relative adrenal insufficiency, Clin Endocrinol. 2017;87:660-664. doi: 10.1111/cen.13446.
Laboratory
Program-specific Professor: MASAHIKO KAWAI
Program-specific Assistant Professor: RYOSUKE ARAKI
TEL: +81-75-751-3237
FAX: +81-75-751-3237
URL: https://pediatrics.kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp/shinryo_group/neonate/