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Empirical estimation of the normative blood pressure in infants <28 weeks gestation using a massive data approach

Journal of Perinatology volume 36, pages 291–295 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

To determine the expected systolic, mean and diastolic blood pressures at birth and respective rates of change during the first 72 h of life in infants born at <28 weeks estimated gestational age (EGA) with a favorable short-term outcome, defined as survival to 14 days with grade II or less intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).

Study Design:

Systolic, mean and diastolic blood pressures were continuously sampled at 0.5 Hz via umbilical artery catheter from birth through 72 h. The raw data were aligned by postnatal hour and underwent error correction. For each infant, the mean values of systolic, mean and diastolic blood pressure were calculated for each postnatal hour. The slope and intercept of best-fit line for each of the three blood pressure parameters was then calculated. Infants that received inotropic medications, died in the first 14 days of life, or had IVH grade III or IV were excluded.

Result:

Using 11.9 million valid data points from 35 infants (mean EGA=25.7±1.5 weeks, mean birth weight=865±201 g), we found independent associations of African-American race (P<0.01) and a complete course of antenatal steroids (P<0.01) with higher blood pressures at birth and a slower rate of increase. Acute chorioamnionitis was independently associated (P=0.02) with lower blood pressures at birth and a faster rate of increase. EGA and birth weight were not independently predictive of blood pressure parameters.

Conclusion:

We found that (i) the estimated mean blood pressure at birth is ~33 mmHg in a cohort of very preterm infants, (ii) blood pressure gradually increases with postnatal age, (iii) systolic blood pressure increases at a faster rate than diastolic blood pressure, (iv) race, antenatal steroid exposure and chorioamnionitis are independent modulators of blood pressure whereas EGA and birth weight are not.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Anthony Barton for his tireless efforts at patient recruitment and data collection. Dr Vesoulis’s work was supported by an NIH Grant, KL2 TR000450-08 (NCATS). Dr Wallendorf’s work was supported an NIH grant, P30 HD062171 (NICHD), to the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center at the Washington University, and funding from the McDonnell Centers for Systems Neuroscience and Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Newborn Medicine, Edward Mallinckrodt Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, and St Louis Children’s Hospital, St Louis, MO, USA

    Z A Vesoulis, N M El Ters & A M Mathur

  2. Division of Biostatistics, Washington University, St Louis, MO, USA

    M Wallendorf

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  1. Z A Vesoulis
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  2. N M El Ters
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  3. M Wallendorf
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  4. A M Mathur
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Correspondence to Z A Vesoulis.

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Vesoulis, Z., El Ters, N., Wallendorf, M. et al. Empirical estimation of the normative blood pressure in infants <28 weeks gestation using a massive data approach. J Perinatol 36, 291–295 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2015.185

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