title: Cord blood serum-based eye drops: the impact of donor haematological and obstetric factors on the variability of epidermal growth factor levels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cord blood serum (CBS)-based eye drops are successfully used in corneal epithelial wound healing and are prepared to supply a known amount of epidermal growth factor (EGF). Product standardisation includes expensive EGF dosage in all cord blood (CB) units. The influence of donor obstetric and haematological characteristics on EGF content was evaluated, to exclude unsuitable CBS and pre-select those CB units able to provide the correct EGF supply for healing corneal wounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were retrospectively collected from 135 donors included in the Emilia Romagna Cord Blood Bank records. Obstetric characteristics, parity and gestational age of the mother, sex, birth weight and Apgar score of the neonate, placental weight, duration of labour and mode of delivery were considered. Haematological characteristics, CD34+ cell number, and total nucleated cell, white blood cell and platelet counts were recorded. EGF content in CB units was estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical evaluation was performed by Mann-Whitney unpaired and Student's t tests. Correlations between variables were evaluated by using Pearson's (r) or Spearman's (ρ) correlation coefficients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGF content was significantly higher in CBS from donors aged <30 years and after vaginal deliveries as compared with scheduled Caesarean sections (1,386±580 vs 1,106±391 pg/mL; P=0.002). EGF content was significantly correlated with duration of labour (r=0.45; P=0.0001), number of CD34+ cells/mL (r=0.3; P=0.002) particularly in vaginal deliveries (r=0.36; P=0.003), mother's age (-0.25; P=0.005), neonate's birth weight (r=0.27; P=0.005), and total nucleated cell (r=0.25; P=0.006), white cell (r=0.29; P=0.001) and platelet (r=0.24; P=0.009) counts. No significant correlations were found between EGF content and parity, gestational age, placental weight, neonate's sex or Apgar scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGF levels are higher in CB units from younger mothers (<30 years), with longer labour duration (>6 hours), and higher CD34+ cell content (>0.05×10(6)/mL). In order to optimise the preparation and costs of CBS-based eye drops, pre-selection of CB units is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Unit, DIMES University of Bologna and S. Orsola-Malpighi Teaching Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Piera
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Versura
authors.affiliation: Cord Blood Bank Transfusion Service, DIMES University of Bologna and S. Orsola-Malpighi Teaching Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buzzi
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Unit, DIMES University of Bologna and S. Orsola-Malpighi Teaching Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannaccare
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Unit, DIMES University of Bologna and S. Orsola-Malpighi Teaching Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grillini
authors.affiliation: Cord Blood Bank Transfusion Service, DIMES University of Bologna and S. Orsola-Malpighi Teaching Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Terzi
authors.affiliation: Cord Blood Bank Transfusion Service, DIMES University of Bologna and S. Orsola-Malpighi Teaching Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasqualepaolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pagliaro
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Unit, DIMES University of Bologna and S. Orsola-Malpighi Teaching Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Emilio C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Campos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001034:Apgar Score; D001724:Birth Weight; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010298:Parity; D010920:Placenta / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor