Cytokines and neurodevelopmental outcomes in extremely low birth weight infants

J Pediatr. 2011 Dec;159(6):919-25.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2011.05.042. Epub 2011 Jul 27.

Abstract

Objective: To determine if selected pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and/or mediators of inflammation reported to be related to the development of cerebral palsy (CP) predict neurodevelopmental outcome in extremely low birth weight infants.

Study design: Infants with birth weights ≤1000 g (n = 1067) had blood samples collected at birth and on days 3 ± 1, 7 ± 1, 14 ± 3, and 21 ± 3 to examine the association between cytokines and neurodevelopmental outcomes. The analyses were focused on 5 cytokines (interleukin [IL] 1β; IL-8; tumor necrosis factor-α; regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed, and secreted (RANTES); and IL-2) reported to be most predictive of CP in term and late preterm infants.

Results: IL-8 was higher on days 0-4 and subsequently in infants who developed CP compared with infants who did not develop CP in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Other cytokines (IL-12, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor-β, soluble IL rα, macrophage inflammatory protein 1β) were found to be altered on days 0-4 in infants who developed CP.

Conclusions: CP in former preterm infants may, in part, have a late perinatal and/or early neonatal inflammatory origin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Cerebral Palsy / blood
  • Child Development
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cytokines / blood*
  • Humans
  • Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight / blood*
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Nervous System / growth & development*
  • Nervous System Diseases / blood*

Substances

  • Cytokines

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