Evaluation of factors associated with elevated newborn 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels

Measurement of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) in dried blood spots has been widely used as a newborn screening tool for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Various maternal and neonatal factors can result in falsely high values of 17-OHP. There is a paucity of Indian studies in this regard because routine evaluation of newborn 17-OHP levels as a screening program is not widely practiced in India. Hence, this study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of various maternal and neonatal factors on newborn 17-OHP levels. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of various maternal and neonatal factors on the newborn 17-OHP values.

Retrospective data related to a total of 3080 newborn 17-OHP values and clinical characteristics were collected for 3 years (2013-2015). The data were analyzed to determine the influence of various factors on 17-OHP values.

The mean value of 17-OHP in our study was 5.486±3.96 ng/mL. Gender and mode of delivery did not significantly affect the 17-OHP levels. The levels were significantly higher in preterm and low birth weight babies as compared to term babies and babies with normal birth weight. Stress factors like pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), early onset sepsis (EOS), neonatal seizures and birth asphyxia significantly increase the neonatal 17-OHP levels.

The levels of 17-OHP in newborns was measured around day 3 of life are very sensitive to the influence of gestational age, birth weight and presence of stress factors like maternal PIH, birth asphyxia, neonatal sepsis and neonatal seizures and should be interpreted cautiously.