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Objective: To determine breastmilk sodium changes in the first 72 hours after birth and to correlate maternal and neonatal variables with maternal breastmilk sodium., Methods: We enrolled 245 mothers and their exclusively breast-fed neonates in this prospective cohort study. Singleton, inborn babies of greater than 34 weeks gestation, who were exclusively breastfed for the first 72 hours were included. Babies who required neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, top up feeds or discharged before 72 hours were excluded. Study outcomes were changes in breast milk sodium in the first 72 hours and association of high maternal breast milk sodium with various maternal and neonatal variables., Results: Mean (SD) breastmilk sodium steadily declined over the first 72 hours [53.5 (19.2), 38.5 (19.0) and 22.2 (10.6) mmol/L at 24, 48, 72 hours, respectively]. Breastfeeding £8 times per 24 hours in the first three days was the only factor significantly associated with high breastmilk sodium (P=0.008). Maternal age, gravida, mode of delivery, significant neonatal weight loss, hypernatremia, neonatal morbidities like fever, irritability, lethargy and poor suck had no significant correlation with high breastmilk sodium., Conclusions: Breastmilk sodium shows a steady decline in the first 72 hours after delivery. Feeding ≤8 times per day is associated high breastmilk sodium at 72 hours of age.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, whose incidence is rapidly increasing in India. T2DM is caused by varying degrees of insulin resistance (IR) and relative insulin deficiency. Leptin, an adipokine with the primary function of regulating energy balance, is found to mediate insulin secretion and sensitivity in peripheral tissues. Hence, we aimed to determine the role of leptin in the development of IR in newly diagnosed T2DM patients., Aim: This study aims to compare the leptin levels and homeostatic model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR) levels in the study population., Material and Methods: The study included a total of sixty patients newly diagnosed with T2DM. Their fasting blood samples were collected to estimate the glucose, insulin, and leptin levels. IR was calculated using HOMA-IR formula. Statistical analysis was done by Pearson's correlation, Spearman's correlation, and One-sample Wilcoxon Signed Rank test., Results: Leptin and HOMA-IR levels were significantly high in T2DM patients ( P < 0.001) when compared with reference values. Body mass index showed a significant positive correlations with insulin ( r = 0.40, P < 0.01), HOMA-IR ( r = 0.37, P < 0.01), and leptin levels ( r = 0.90, P < 0.01). Leptin levels showed significant positive correlations with plasma insulin ( r = 0.35, P < 0.01) and HOMA-IR levels ( r = 0.31, P < 0.05). The correlation between leptin and HOMA-IR levels was more pronounced and significant among the obese T2DM subjects ( r = 0.82, P = 0.01)., Conclusion: Hyperleptinemia reflecting leptin resistance plays an important role in the development of IR in obeseT2DM patients, making leptin a possible biomarker for the same., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.