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Updated: May 24, 2026
Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
Published on: December 31, 2015
Cord blood 8-isoprostane in the preterm infant
Karen Mestan1, Nana Matoba, Lester Arguelles
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Children's Memorial Hospital, 2300 Children's Plaza, Chicago, IL 60614, United States. k-mestan@northwestern.edu
Insights
Lipid peroxidation, measured by cord blood 8-isoprostane (8-IP), is higher in extremely preterm infants and decreases with increasing gestational age. Perinatal factors influence this association, impacting neonatal outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neonatalogy and Perinatal Medicine
- Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress
- Reproductive Biology
Background:
- Cord blood 8-isoprostane (8-IP) is a marker for lipid peroxidation during the peripartum period.
- The relationship between 8-IP and the degree of prematurity requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate patterns of lipid peroxidation in preterm infants across different gestational age (GA) categories.
- To determine how cord blood 8-IP levels correlate with GA and other relevant clinical factors.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal birth cohort study included 237 mother-infant pairs from preterm births.
- Infants were categorized into extremely (≤28w), moderate (29-33w), and late (34-36w) preterm groups.
- Cord blood 8-IP was measured, with elevated levels (4th quartile) analyzed using multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for covariates.
Main Results:
- Elevated 8-IP was significantly associated with extremely preterm birth (OR=4.31) and inversely with increasing GA (OR=0.88).
- Higher 8-IP levels correlated with lower birth weight, clinical chorioamnionitis, fetal inflammatory response, and perinatal depression.
- The association between GA and 8-IP was modified by maternal and fetal factors, particularly in infants with GA <30w and birth weight <2000g.
Conclusions:
- Lipid peroxidation in preterm birth varies with the degree of prematurity and is influenced by peripartum factors.
- These findings highlight the importance of antioxidant defense regulation for neonatal outcomes in preterm infants.
Background:
Cord blood 8-isoprostane (8-IP) is a marker of lipid peroxidation in the peripartum period. The independent association with degree of prematurity is not well-described.
Objective:
To identify patterns of lipid peroxidation among early, moderate and late preterm infants, and to understand how cord blood 8-IP varies with gestational age (GA) and related covariates.
Study Design:
Mother-infant pairs from 237 preterm births were studied as part of a longitudinal birth cohort study. GA subgroups were defined as extremely (≤28w), moderately (29-33w), and late (34-36w) preterm. Cord blood 8-IP was measured using EIA. Elevated 8-IP (4th quartile) was the primary outcome for multivariate logistic regression models, which were adjusted for maternal age/race, multiple gestation and infant gender, as well as other relevant covariates.
Results:
Elevated 8-IP was associated with extremely preterm birth (OR=4.31; 95% CI=1.90, 9.76), and was inversely associated with increasing GA (OR=0.88; 95% CI=0.80, 0.97). Elevated 8-IP was also associated with decreasing birth weight (BW), clinical chorioamnionitis, fetal inflammatory response of the placenta (FIR), and signs of perinatal depression. The GA on 8-IP association appeared to be modified by several maternal disease and fetal-infant factors. Lastly, the indirect associations between log-transformed 8-IP, GA and BW appeared to be most prominent for GA<30w and for BW<2000g.
Conclusion:
Lipid peroxidation in preterm birth, and the relative influence of accompanying peripartum factors, varies according to degree of prematurity. These findings have important implications for the developmental regulation of antioxidant defense and its impact on neonatal outcomes.
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