Genetic Factors Contribute to Risk for Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome among Moderately Preterm, Late Preterm,...

Area of Science:

• Perinatology
• Genetics
• Neonatal Research

Background:

• Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a significant concern in preterm and term infants.
• Understanding the etiology of RDS is crucial for effective prevention and management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the genetic contribution to the risk of developing respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).
• To investigate genetic influences on RDS in infants with estimated gestational age of 32 weeks or greater, across different ancestries.

Main Methods:

• Twin study design analyzing 524 twin pairs (monozygotic and dizygotic) with at least one twin diagnosed with RDS.
• Utilized mixed-effects logistic regression to identify risk factors and employed genetic modeling to estimate variance components.

Main Results:

• Higher concordance for RDS was observed in monozygotic twins compared to dizygotic twins.
• Independent risk factors for RDS included lower gestational age, European descent, male sex, cesarean delivery, and lower 5-minute Apgar scores.
• Genetic factors accounted for 58% of the variance in RDS risk after adjusting for identified covariates.

Conclusions:

• Genetic predisposition plays a substantial role in RDS risk, alongside environmental factors.
• Identifying specific risk alleles for RDS could enhance prediction and inform clinical management approaches.