Role of Genetic Susceptibility in the Development of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess heritable contributions to bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) risk in a twin cohort restricted to gestational age at birth <29 weeks. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 250 twin pairs (192 dichorionic, 58 monochorionic) born <29 weeks gestational age with known BPD status were identified. Three statistical methods applicable to twin cohorts (χ2 test, intraclass correlations [ICCs], and ACE modeling [additive genetic or A, common environmental or C, and unique environmental or E components]) were applied. Heritability was estimated as percent variability from A. Identical methods were applied to a subcohort defined by zygosity and to an independent validation cohort. RESULTS: χ2 analyses comparing whether neither, 1, or both of monochorionic (23, 19, 16) and dichorionic (88, 56, 48) twin pairs developed BPD revealed no difference. Although there was similarity in BPD outcome within both monochorionic and dichorionic twin pairs by ICC (monochorionic ICC = 0.34, 95% CI [0.08, 0.55]; dichorionic ICC = 0.39, 95% CI [0.25, 0.51]), monochorionic twins were not more likely than dichorionic twins to have the same outcome (P = .70). ACE modeling revealed no contribution of heritability to BPD risk (% A = 0.0%, 95% CI [0.0%, 43.1%]). Validation and zygosity based cohort results were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis suggests that heritability is not a major contributor to BPD risk in preterm infants <29 weeks gestational age.

Stooling pattern and early nutritional exposures associated with necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal emergency affecting premature infants. A better understanding of the clinical signs and symptoms associated with the disease may result in an improved ability to more effectively intervene in patient care. One of the clinical signs that have not been fully explored is the stooling pattern of preterm infants. This retrospective case-control study included 258 premature infants born prior to 29 weeks of gestation: 129 infants with NEC and 129 gestational age-matched controls. Data were collected from the medical record for the first 28 postnatal days. The relationships between the stooling pattern of premature infants and NEC were assessed via nonparametric techniques and linear mixed models. We identified few differences in the stooling pattern among infants with NEC and their unaffected counterparts. During the first week following birth, infants with NEC passed stool more frequently than controls. However, we found that these infants were taking nothing by mouth for fewer days in the first week following birth compared with controls. We also found that infants who developed NEC were fed smaller proportions of breast milk than healthy controls. Aberrant gut motility has been associated with prematurity and inflammatory bowel disease. However, our analyses did not identify any major differences in the stooling pattern among NEC case patients and controls. While further analyses may be needed, clinical suspicion for NEC should not be overwhelmingly influenced by the stooling pattern observed during the early neonatal period.

Urinary intestinal fatty acid binding protein predicts necrotizing enterocolitis.

Necrotizing enterocolitis, characterized by sudden onset and rapid progression, remains the most significant gastrointestinal disorder among premature infants. In seeking a predictive biomarker, we found intestinal fatty acid binding protein, an indicator of enterocyte damage, was substantially increased within three and seven days before the diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis.

Urine Proteomics for Noninvasive Monitoring of Biomarkers in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

INTRODUCTION: Current techniques to diagnose and/or monitor critically ill neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) require invasive sampling of body fluids, which is suboptimal in these frail neonates. We tested our hypothesis that it is feasible to use noninvasively collected urine samples for proteomics from extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs) at risk for BPD to confirm previously identified proteins and biomarkers associated with BPD. METHODS: We developed a robust high-throughput urine proteomics methodology that requires only 50 µL of urine. We utilized the methodology with a proof-of-concept study validating proteins previously identified in invasively collected sample types such as blood and/or tracheal aspirates on urine collected within 72 h of birth from ELGANs (gestational age [26 ± 1.2] weeks) who were admitted to a single Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), half of whom eventually developed BPD (n = 21), while the other half served as controls (n = 21). RESULTS: Our high-throughput urine proteomics approach clearly identified several BPD-associated changes in the urine proteome recapitulating expected blood proteome changes, and several urinary proteins predicted BPD risk. Interestingly, 16 of the identified urinary proteins are known targets of drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration. CONCLUSION: In addition to validating numerous proteins, previously found in invasively collected blood, tracheal aspirate, and bronchoalveolar lavage, that have been implicated in BPD pathophysiology, urine proteomics also suggested novel potential therapeutic targets. Ease of access to urine could allow for sequential proteomic evaluations for longitudinal monitoring of disease progression and impact of therapeutic intervention in future studies.

Low urine vascular endothelial growth factor levels are associated with mechanical ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and retinopathy of prematurity.

BACKGROUND: Organ-specific vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression is decreased during the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) several weeks before either disease can be diagnosed. Early measurement of organ-specific tissue VEGF levels might allow identification of infants at high risk for these diseases, but is not clinically feasible. Urine VEGF is easily measured and useful in early diagnosis of several diseases. OBJECTIVES: Our aims were to assess the correlation of urine VEGF levels measured in the first postnatal month with subsequent BPD or ROP diagnosis and to determine whether various infant characteristics influence urine VEGF levels. METHODS: 106 subjects born at <29 weeks' gestation and surviving to 36 weeks' postmenstrual age were selected from an existing database and biorepository. Urine VEGF and total protein were measured in 2-3 samples per subject. RESULTS: Urine VEGF/protein levels increased by 72% per week (p < 0.0001) during the first postnatal month. In multivariable analysis controlling for postnatal age, lower VEGF/protein was associated with higher levels of mechanical respiratory support (p = 0.006), male gender (p = 0.001) and early sepsis (p = 0.003) but not with fraction of inspired oxygen. Lower urine VEGF/protein and mechanical ventilation were each associated with BPD and ROP. In analyses adjusted for respiratory support, lower urine VEGF/protein and ROP remained associated but urine VEGF/protein and BPD did not. CONCLUSIONS: Low urine VEGF/protein levels in the first postnatal month are associated with mechanical ventilation, BPD, and ROP.