Serum creatinine during physiological perinatal dehydration may estimate individual nephron endowment

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Pediatric Nephrology
• Neonatal Medicine

Background:

• Nephron endowment varies significantly among healthy individuals, impacting health and disease outcomes.
• Quantifying nephron count in living subjects is currently impossible.
• Physiological perinatal dehydration in newborns with solitary kidneys shows increased serum creatinine (sCr).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if perinatal sCr can identify healthy newborns with reduced nephron mass.
• To analyze the association between sCr and a family history of arterial hypertension (AH) in neonates.

Main Methods:

• Serum creatinine (sCr) was measured in 182 healthy Caucasian neonates 48-96 hours after birth.
• Data were collected within the NeoNeph study on infant blood pressure.
• Association between sCr and family history of AH was analyzed.

Main Results:

• Newborns with a paternal history of AH had significantly higher mean sCr (0.97 mg/dL) compared to those without (0.73 mg/dL).
• The difference in mean sCr was statistically significant (p=0.006).
• No significant association was found between sCr and maternal or grandparental history of AH.

Conclusions:

• The link between paternal AH and elevated perinatal sCr supports its use as a biomarker for reduced nephron mass.
• Perinatal sCr may aid in identifying individuals at risk for renal and extrarenal diseases, including hypertension.
• This approach offers potential for disease prevention and understanding individual health trajectories.