Interleukin-10 predicts preterm birth in acculturated Hispanics

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Immunology
• Sociomedical Sciences

Background:

• Acculturation is linked to increased preterm birth risk among US Hispanics.
• Inflammatory pathways are implicated in preterm birth.
• The relationship between acculturation, preterm birth, and inflammatory markers in Hispanic women requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between preterm birth, acculturation, and inflammatory markers (IL-1RA, IL-6, IL-10) in Hispanic women.
• To determine if IL-10 levels mediate the relationship between acculturation and preterm birth risk.

Main Methods:

• Observational study of 470 pregnant Hispanic women in Texas.
• Collected demographic and birth outcome data.
• Assayed plasma levels of IL-1RA, IL-6, and IL-10.
• Used logistic regression to analyze the relationship between IL-10, acculturation, and preterm birth.

Main Results:

• Undetectable IL-10 levels interacted with acculturation indicators (years in US, US birth) to predict preterm birth.
• When IL-10 was undetectable, preterm birth risk increased with longer US residency (OR=3.17) and was higher for US-born participants (OR=16.78).
• No significant interactions were found for IL-1RA or IL-6.

Conclusions:

• Hispanic women who are acculturated and have undetectable IL-10 exhibit a significantly higher risk of preterm birth.
• Lack of protective IL-10 effects exacerbates preterm birth risk associated with acculturation in this population.
• Findings underscore the importance of inflammatory markers in understanding acculturation-related disparities in preterm birth.