Lower concentration of pulmonary hepatocyte growth factor is associated with more severe lung disease in preterm infants.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) participates in normal lung development and in regeneration after lung injury in animals. We studied the role of HGF during the perinatal period and in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).


METHODS
HGF was measured in 172 tracheal aspirate fluid samples (TAF) from 17 preterm infants in whom BPD subsequently developed (gestational age, 27.2+/-1.7 weeks; body weight, 828+/-210 g) and from 15 who survived without BPD (gestational age, 26.8+/-1.9 weeks; body weight, 994+/-265 g) during the first 2 postnatal weeks.


RESULTS
Infants with subsequent development of BPD had lower HGF in TAF (45+/-9 pg/mL per IgA-sc) than those surviving without BPD (102+/-32 pg/mL per IgA-sc; P=.028). Lower HGF in TAF were seen in infants with more severe acute respiratory distress as defined as requirement for surfactant therapy (50+/-14 vs 146+/-50 pg/mL per IgA-sc in infants requiring no surfactant; P=.0001), for higher number of surfactant doses (r=-0.16, P=.06), and for mechanical ventilation >1 week (167+/-51 vs 51+/-14 pg/mL per IgA-sc in infants intubated <1 week; P=.0012).


CONCLUSIONS
These data show an association between lower HGF concentration in TAF and more severe lung disease in human preterm infants in the early neonatal period.
Lassus
Patrik
P
Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Stenbäckinkatu 11, 00290 Helsinki, Finland. patrick.lassus@helsinki.fi
Heikkilä
Päivi
P
Andersson
Leif C
LC
von Boguslawski
Kristina
K
Andersson
Sture
S
D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D014132:Trachea
D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor