Effect of chorioamnionitis on the levels of serum proteins in the cord blood of premature infants.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the relationships among complements, other serum proteins (including acute-phase reactant), and the cytokine interleukin-6.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

SETTING

A perinatal center, children's hospital, and research institute in Osaka, Japan.

PATIENTS: Two hundred fifteen newborn infants ranging from 17 to 42 weeks in gestational age.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We measured the serum levels of several proteins and complements in the cord blood of neonates with and without chorioamnionitis by immunological assays.

RESULTS

The levels of C3d, haptoglobin, interleukin-6, IgM, C-reactive protein, and IgA were not influenced by gestational age, and levels of C5, C1q, C2, albumin, C9, and IgG were not influenced by chorioamnionitis status. The levels of C3, C4, CH50, factor B, and orosomucoid were influenced by both factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Our investigation of the mutual relation of the data suggests that the increase of cytokine interleukin-6 affects each other component. We suggest that, compared with the serum levels of proteins in neonates with chorioamnionitis, levels in neonates without chorioamnionitis are more similar to those in the normal fetus.