title: Umbilical cord blood levels of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in preterm prelabor rupture of membrane pregnancies complicated by the presence of histological chorioamnionitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main aim of this study was to determine the levels of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and the cortisol/DHEA-S ratio in the umbilical cord blood according to the presence of histological chorioamnionitis and fetal inflammatory response in pregnancies complicated by prelabor rupture of membranes at fewer than 34 gestational weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two women with singleton pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes between gestational ages 24+0 and 33+6 weeks were included in the study. The sample of blood was obtained from the umbilical cord after delivery of the newborn. The umbilical cord blood cortisol and DHEA-S levels were evaluated using commercial immunoassay kits. A cortisol/DHEA-S ratio was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of histological chorioamnionitis was not associated with higher median levels of cortisol (32.1 nmol/L vs. 33.0 nmol/L; p = 0.53), DHEA-S (2.6 μmol/L vs. 2.5 μmol/L; p = 0.83), or cortisol/DHEA-S ratio (19.5 vs. 18.7;p = 0.90). Higher median levels of DHEA-S (3.1 μmol/L vs. 2.3 μmol/L; p = 0.03) but not cortisol (91.0 nmol/L vs. 32.0 nmol/L; p = 0.06) or cortisol/DHEA-S ratio (24.5 vs. 18.7; p = 0.46) were observed when fetal inflammatory response was present.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of fetal inflammatory response but not the presence of histological chorioamnionitis per se was associated with increased DHEA-S levels in the umbilical cord blood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine Hradec Kralove, University Hospital, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. kacermar@fnhk.cz
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kacerovsky
authors.forename: Jaroslava
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vavrova
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Musilova
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lesko
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Flidrova
authors.forename: Ctirad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andrys
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hornychova
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dosedla
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jacobsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000097:blood; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D016014:Linear Models; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D006854:Hydrocortisone