Corticosteroid-binding globulin in preterm infants in an intensive care unit

Blood concentration of corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) was measured in 85 preterm (24-36 weeks of gestational age) infants over the first 6 weeks of postnatal life. CBG concentrations directly correlated to gestational age and postnatal age in the first week of life. There was a significant increase in CBG values over the first 6 weeks such that mean values at weeks 4 through 6 were significantly greater than values at weeks 1 and 2. Postnatal CBG values were significantly lower in infants who had pulmonary disease during week 1 (p = 0.001). In summary, CBG values were directly correlated to gestational and postnatal age, and negatively correlated to acute illness. We speculate that the lower CBG values with lung disease may reflect an ongoing inflammatory response.