Inflammatory markers in intrauterine and fetal blood and cerebrospinal fluid compartments are associated with adverse pulmonary and neurologic outcomes in preterm infants.
Recent evidence strongly implicates the inflammatory response to intrauterine infection in the pathogenesis of neonatal brain and lung injury. We hypothesized that lung and brain injury in preterm infants occurs during a common developmental window of vulnerability as the result of an inflammatory response in different compartments. To determine whether inflammatory markers in these compartments are associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) or cranial ultrasound (CUS) abnormalities in infants <33 wk gestation age (GA) and <1501 g birth weight, we analyzed placental pathology and serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IL-6, IL-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentrations in 276 infants. Logistic regressions were performed stratified by GA. Histologic chorioamnionitis was significantly associated with BPD in infants </=28 wk GA (OR 3.6, p = 0.027). Maternal stage of chorioamnionitis significantly correlated with severity of BPD. Presence of a fetal inflammatory response indicated by fetal vasculitis or elevated cytokines was not associated with the development of BPD. Serum IL-6 >/=17 pg/mL was associated with an abnormal CUS in infants >28 wk GA (OR 3.36, p = 0.023) but not </=28 wk GA. CSF concentrations of IL-6 >/=6.5 pg/mL and TNF-alpha >/=3 pg/mL were associated with abnormal CUS in infants </=28 wk GA (IL-6 OR 3.0; TNF-alpha OR 3.5; p < 0.05 each case) but not >/=28 wk GA. These data suggest that in infants </=28 wks GA, BPD may be initiated by inflammatory mediators in amniotic fluid, but brain injury may involve variations in the systemic inflammatory response.
Viscardi
Rose M
RM
Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. rviscard@umaryland.edu
Muhumuza
Catherine K
CK
Rodriguez
Andres
A
Fairchild
Karen D
KD
Sun
Chen-Chih J
CC
Gross
George W
GW
Campbell
Andrew B
AB
Wilson
P David
PD
Hester
Lisa
L
Hasday
Jeffrey D
JD
D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000209:etiology; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000209:etiology; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012307:Risk Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism
D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha