Urinary PGE₂ metabolite levels in hospitalised infants with infections compared to age-matched controls

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) plays a role in inflammation and immune responses.
• Urinary metabolites of PGE2 can serve as biomarkers for physiological and pathological states.
• Understanding PGE2 metabolite levels in infants is crucial for diagnosing and managing infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normal ranges of urinary tetranor-prostaglandin E2 metabolite in healthy infants.
• To investigate the association between urinary tetranor-prostaglandin E2 metabolite levels and infections in hospitalized infants.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cross-sectional study involving 81 healthy infants and 142 hospitalized infants.
• Measurement of urinary tetranor-prostaglandin E2 metabolite using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.
• Comparison of metabolite levels between healthy and infected infants, and correlation with clinical factors.

Main Results:

• Urinary tetranor-prostaglandin E2 metabolite levels decreased with age in healthy infants.
• Elevated metabolite levels were observed in infants with lower respiratory tract and gastrointestinal infections.
• Infants with upper respiratory tract infections showed similar levels to controls; acetaminophen treatment lowered levels.

Conclusions:

• This study provides reference values for urinary tetranor-prostaglandin E2 metabolite in infants.
• Elevated levels are indicative of lower respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in hospitalized infants.
• Tetranor-prostaglandin E2 metabolite may serve as a potential biomarker for specific infant infections.