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Increased cord serum inflammatory markers in small-for-gestational-age neonates

Journal of Perinatology volume 31, pages 30–32 (2011)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

The pathological picture in ischemic tissue injury shares features with the inflammatory response. Hypoxia-mediated induction of interleukin-6 (IL-6) could set in motion the mechanisms limiting inflammation in ischemia. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) represents a human model of chronic fetal hypoxia. The purpose of this study was a first-time exploration to determine whether cord blood obtained at the delivery of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants has increased concentrations of inflammatory markers.

Study Design:

Cord blood was collected from 20 SGA (term and near-term) infants and 20 appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) controls. Infants exposed to maternal smoking, diabetes, maternal chronic diseases, or alcohol or drug use were excluded. Both groups had Apgar score ⩾7 at 1 min with a normal cord pH (>7.25). Cord-serum cytokines and thrombopoietin (TPO) levels were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured using a turbidometric immunoassay.

Result:

SGA infants had a significantly smaller birth weight than AGA controls, with a smaller gestation age by 1 week. There were significant elevations in IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), CRP and TPO in the SGA compared with the AGA group, which persisted in multiple regression analysis even after gestational age was taken into account.

Conclusion:

As hypothesized, significant increases in the cord blood concentrations of known inflammatory markers were found in SGA infants compared with the controls.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel

    G Amarilyo, A Oren, Y Ochshorn & D Mandel

  2. Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    G Amarilyo, F B Mimouni, Y Ochshorn, V Deutsch & D Mandel

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    F B Mimouni

  4. Department of Hematology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel

    V Deutsch

Authors
  1. G Amarilyo
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  2. A Oren
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  5. V Deutsch
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  6. D Mandel
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Correspondence to D Mandel.

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Amarilyo, G., Oren, A., Mimouni, F. et al. Increased cord serum inflammatory markers in small-for-gestational-age neonates. J Perinatol 31, 30–32 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2010.53

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2010.53

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