title: Cord blood plasma reference intervals for potential sepsis markers: pro-adrenomedullin, pro-endothelin, and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish reference values in cord blood of the following new sepsis markers: pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM), pro-endothelin (CT-proET-1), and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP).
  
  
  METHODS
  MR-proADM, CT-proET-1, MR-proANP, and procalcitonin (PCT) were measured in cord blood of newborn infants by Time Resolved Amplified Cryptate Emission (TRACE) technology. The inclusion criteria in the control group (n=194) was the absence of any clinical sign or risk factor of sepsis. A group of 73 newborn infants presenting with risk factors of sepsis at delivery was also studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median values (reference interval) of CT-proET-1, MR-pro-ADM, and MR-proANP measured in cord blood plasma were 72 pmol/L (39-115), 0.84 nmol/L (0.5-1.38), and 163 pmol/L (76-389), respectively. The PCT reference interval was not significantly different from that previously described in cord blood serum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reference intervals established will serve as a starting point for further clinical investigations aimed to elucidate the potential prognostic/diagnostic value of these markers in neonatal sepsis management.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Spain.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miguel
authors.forename: Belén
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coto
authors.forename: Francisco V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Alvarez
mesh_terms: D053607:Adrenomedullin / Q000097:blood; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D019332:Endothelin-1; D011498:Protein Precursors; C093240:proendothelin 1; D053607:Adrenomedullin; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide