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Published on: December 31, 2015
Elevated circulating endothelial microparticles (EMPs) in prepubertal children born preterm
Panagiota Markopoulou1, Eleni Papanikolaou2, Sofia Loukopoulou3
1Neonatal Unit, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Insights
Preterm-born children show higher levels of circulating endothelial microparticles (EMPs), which are biomarkers of endothelial damage. Further research is needed to determine if EMPs can be used for non-invasive endothelial evaluation in this population.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Pediatric Health
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Endothelial microparticles (EMPs) are indicators of endothelial activation and damage.
- No prior studies have examined EMP levels in individuals born preterm.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate circulating EMP levels in preterm-born children compared to full-term controls.
- To assess associations between EMPs and cardiovascular risk factors or endothelial function in preterm children.
Main Methods:
- Measured circulating CD62E(+), CD144(+), and CD31(+)/CD42b(-) EMPs in 63 preterm and 52 full-term children.
- Analyzed correlations with cardiovascular risk factors and endothelial function parameters.
Main Results:
- Preterm children had significantly higher levels of all measured EMP subpopulations (p < 0.001).
- Preterm birth was an independent predictor of EMP levels.
- Specific EMPs correlated with pulmonary artery pressure/velocity, age, small for gestational age (SGA) status, blood pressure, and brachial artery flow.
Conclusions:
- Circulating EMP levels are elevated in preterm-born children.
- The potential clinical utility of EMPs for non-invasive endothelial assessment in preterm children requires further investigation.
Background:
Endothelial microparticles (EMPs) act as early biomarkers of endothelial activation and damage. No studies have investigated EMPs in preterm-born individuals.
Methods:
Sixty-three preterm-born children and 52 children born full-term (controls) were studied. Circulating CD62E(+), CD144(+), and CD31(+)/CD42b(-) EMPs were measured in preterm-born children compared to controls; possible associations with cardiovascular risk factors and endothelial function parameters were also assessed.
Results:
Circulating CD62E(+), CD144(+), and CD31(+)/CD42b(-) EMPs were significantly higher in preterm-born children compared to controls (p = 0.003, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). Preterm birth was recognized as an independent predictor of each EMP subpopulation studied; moreover, the mean pressure and velocity of pulmonary artery were independently correlated with CD62E(+) (β = 0.20, p = 0.04) and CD144(+) EMPs (β = 0.22, p = 0.02), respectively, whereas age (β = 0.21, p = 0.03) and being born SGA (β = 0.26, p = 0.01) correlated independently with CD31(+)/CD42b(-) EMPs in the study population. Furthermore, diastolic blood pressure (β = 0.24, p = 0.04), being born SGA (β = 0.24, p = 0.04) and the hyperemic peak velocity of the brachial artery (β = -0.65, p = 0.02) were independently associated with CD31(+)/CD42b(-) EMPs in the preterm-born group.
Conclusion:
Circulating EMPs were higher in preterm-born children compared to children born full-term. Whether EMPs could act, in clinical practice, as a complementary tool for non-invasive evaluation of endothelium in preterm-born children, remains under investigation.
Impact:
Circulating endothelial microparticles (EMPs) are small membrane vesicles released from endothelial cells and they act as novel biomarkers of endothelial activation and damage. No studies have investigated circulating EMPs in preterm-born individuals. Circulating EMPs were significantly higher in prepubertal preterm-born children compared to children born at term. In the preterm-born group, the hyperemic peak velocity of the brachial artery was independently associated with CD31(+)/CD42b(-) EMPs. Whether assessment of circulating EMPs could act, in clinical practice, as a complementary tool for non-invasive evaluation of endothelium in preterm-born children, remains to be defined in future investigations.
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