title: Impact on neonatal outcome and anthropometric growth in very low birth weight infants with histological chorioamnionitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chorioamnionitis (CAM) is one of the main causes of preterm labor. The specific aim of our study was to evaluate neonatal outcome and anthropometric growth at the corrected age of 2 years after exposure to an adverse intrauterine event of CAM in very low birth weight (VLBW, less than 1500 g) infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and nineteen VLBW infants had adequate placental histological data available for the study. Maternal and perinatal characteristics and neonatal morbidity were determined. The infants were followed up prospectively and their anthropometric growth was recorded in the neonatal follow-up clinic for 2 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histological CAM was evident in 64 cases (53.8%, CAM group). Patients with histological CAM delivered earlier (27.8 +/- 2.9 vs. 29.6 +/- 3.6 weeks, p = 0.003), and they had higher incidence of preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM, p less than 0.001) and longer ventilation days (p = 0.001). After adjusting for gestational age, sepsis (aOR, 3.355), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (aOR, 3.018) and mechanical ventilation (aOR, 4.094) had a higher incidence in the CAM group. At the corrected ages of 6, 12, 18 and 24 months, anthropometric measurements, including body weight, body height and head circumference, were similar for the study and control infants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Histological CAM was associated with a higher incidence of PPROM, sepsis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, more mechanical ventilation and longer ventilation days. However, at the age of 2 years, CAM had no impact on anthropometric growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, and College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Chi
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.forename: Cheng-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yi-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hui-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jing-Sheng
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ming-I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chin-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tong-Jong
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Guey-Mei
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Jow
authors.forename: Tseng-Chen
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Sung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000209:etiology; D002657:Child Development; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy