Temporal profile of blood cytokine levels and placental pathology in extremely preterm infants

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between placental pathology and the temporal profiles of “cytokine” (cytokines, chemokines and growth factors) levels in extremely preterm infants. Study design: A prospective cohort study of preterm infants born before 29 weeks gestational age (GA) and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) between June 2017 and July 2018 (n=55). Levels of 27 cytokines were measured in blood obtained from the umbilical cord at birth, 24-72 hours, and 21-28 days of life. Cytokine levels were determined using the Bio-Rad Multiplex Immunoassay System. Placental pathology per the 2016 Amsterdam consensus criteria and grouped as normal (N), inflammation (I), vasculopathy (V), or combined vasculopathy and inflammation (V+I). Results: Complete data was available from 42 patients. Cord blood median levels of cytokines differed between groups with the highest levels observed in group V+I as compared to groups N, I and V for the following: Eotaxin (p = 0.038), G-CSF (p = 0.023), IFN-γ (p = 0.002), IL-1ra (p < 0.001), IL-4 (p = 0.005), IL-8 (p = 0.010), MCP-1 (p = 0.011), and TNFα (p = 0.002). Post hoc analysis revealed sex differences in group I, with higher median levels of FGF-basic (p = 0.03), G-CSF (p = 0.048), IL1b (p = 0.038), IL-1ra (p = 0.005), IL-8 (p = 0.005), MIP-1α (p = 0.048) and TNFα (p = 0.048) in females. Conclusion: Specific types of placental pathology may be associated with differential cytokine profiles in extremely preterm infants. Sampling from cord blood may help assess the pathological status of the placenta and potentially infer outcome risks for the infant.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MSc)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Medicine – Neuroscience

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Science

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Zein, Hussein

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Esser, Michael J.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Bründler, Marie Anne
• Kirton, Adam
• Mohammad, Khorshid

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/37734

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/111918