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Published on: September 10, 2018
S100B urine concentrations in late preterm infants are gestational age and gender dependent
Andrea Sannia1, Francesco Maria Risso, Luc J I Zimmermann
1Dept. Critical Care and Perinatal Medicine G. Gaslini Children's Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
Insights
S100B protein levels in late preterm infants (34-36 weeks) vary with gestational age and gender. This study establishes a reference curve for S100B, crucial for understanding brain development in these infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Biomarkers
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Late preterm (LP) deliveries (34-36 weeks) have increased, posing significant public health challenges.
- LP infants often require intensive care, highlighting the need for better monitoring tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a reference curve for S100B protein in late preterm infants.
- To investigate the relationship between S100B levels, gestational age, and gender in LP infants.
Main Methods:
- Urine samples were collected from 277 healthy LP infants within 6 hours of birth.
- S100B protein concentration was measured using an immunoluminometric assay.
- Clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded for correlation analysis.
Main Results:
- S100B levels showed a slight decrease from 34 to 35 weeks, then increased significantly by 36 weeks.
- Female infants exhibited significantly higher S100B concentrations across all measured gestational ages.
- A significant inverse correlation was found between gestational age and S100B levels.
Conclusions:
- S100B protein levels in LP infants are dependent on both gestational age and gender.
- The developed reference curve aids in interpreting S100B measurements, accounting for potential bias.
- This study supports the neurotrophic role of S100B and emphasizes considering gestational age and gender in its assessment.
Background:
Late preterm deliveries (LP, between 34 and 36wks), have considerably increased in the last decades. About 20-25% of LP infants who require intensive care and morbidity on public health are of great magnitude. Therefore, we aimed at offering a reference curve in LP period of a well-established neurotrophic and brain damage marker namely S100B protein.
Methods:
We collected, between December 2009 and March 2012, urine samples, at first void (within 6-hours from birth) for S100B assessment, in 277 healthy LP infants consecutively admitted to our units. Standard clinical and laboratory monitoring parameters were also recorded. S100B was measured by using a commercially available immunoluminometric assay.
Results:
S100B pattern in LP infants was characterized by a slight decrease in protein's concentration from 34 to 35wks. From 35wks onwards S100B started to increase reaching a significant difference (P=0.008) at 36wks. When corrected for gender, significantly higher (P<0.01, for all) S100B concentrations in female were observed from 34 to 36wks. Polynomial type-1 regression analysis showed a significant correlation (R=-0.05; P<0.001) between gestational age and S100B in LP infants considering either the whole study population or when corrected for gender.
Conclusions:
S100B in LP infants is gestational age and gender dependent. The present reference curve, for S100B in LP period, offers additional support to protein's neurotrophic role and suggests that gestational age and gender have to be taken into due account, whenever S100B is measured, in order to avoid bias factors.
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