title: Perinatal outcome and placental histological characteristics: a single-center study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Placental pathology assists in characterizing the antenatal environment and may provide information about the baby's subsequent development. We aim to assess whether histological patterns of placenta are associated with an increased risk of perinatal diseases and to evaluate how different patterns of placental dysfunction can affect the neurodevelopmental outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the histopathological characteristics of 105 singleton placentas from infants born between 23 and 31 weeks of gestation and we assessed pair-wise correlations with perinatal diseases. Estimated relative risks were calculated from odds ratios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histological chorioamnionitis (CA group) was detected on 51 of 100 placentas tested. Lesions of uteroplacental circulation (abruption, infarction or thrombosis, perivillous fibrin deposition, syncytial knots; vasculopathy group) were detected on 29. 25 normal placentas served as controls. The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) was higher in CA than in control group. The risk of developing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and PDA was higher in CA than in vasculopathy group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At low gestational age CA, rather than placental lesions of vasculopathy, negatively impacts perinatal outcome. Clinical significance of histologic vasculopathy remains questionable. Other pathophysiological mechanisms than those associated with placental changes may occur following dysfunction of uteroplacental circulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. saraspv@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Serafina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perrone
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toti
authors.forename: Maria Stefania
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Toti
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Badii
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Becucci
authors.forename: Maria Gabriella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Gatti
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marzocchi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Picardi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buonocore
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy