The relationship between early concentrations of 25 blood proteins and cerebral white matter injury in preterm newborns: the ELGAN study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether concentrations of inflammation-related proteins are elevated in the blood of preterm newborns who develop cerebral white matter damage.


METHODS
We measured 25 proteins in blood collected on days 1, 7, and 14 from 939 infants born before the 28th week of gestation. Brain ultrasound scans were read by at least two sonologists, who agreed on the presence or absence of lesions. A protein concentration was considered elevated if it was in the highest quartile for gestational age and the day on which the specimen was collected.


RESULTS
In time-oriented models, elevated concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, serum amyloid A, and macrophage inflammatory protein 1β on day 1 and interleukin-8 on day 7 were associated with increased risk of ventriculomegaly. Elevated concentrations of macrophage inflammatory protein 1β on day 1 and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 on day 7 were associated with increased risk of an echolucent lesion. Infants with elevated concentrations of inflammation-related proteins on two separate days were at significantly increased risk for ventriculomegaly, but at only modestly increased risk for an echolucent lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
Concentrations of inflammation-related proteins in the circulation in the first days after preterm birth provide information about the risk of sonographic white matter damage. The inflammatory process might begin in utero.
Neuroepidemiology Unit, Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. alan.leviton@childrens.harvard.edu
Alan
A
Leviton
Karl
K
Kuban
T Michael
TM
O'Shea
Nigel
N
Paneth
Raina
R
Fichorova
Elizabeth N
EN
Allred
Olaf
O
Dammann
D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
D001798:Blood Proteins