This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Nupponen, I.
Right arrow Articles by Repo, H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Nupponen, I.
Right arrow Articles by Repo, H.
Related Collections
Right arrow Premature & Newborn
PEDIATRICS Vol. 110 No. 1 July 2002, pp. 36-41

Neutrophil Activation in Preterm Infants Who Have Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Irmeli Nupponen, MD*,§, Eero Pesonen, MD, PhD{ddagger}, Sture Andersson, MD, PhD§,||, Aila Mäkelä, MD*,§, Riikka Turunen, BM*,§, Hannu Kautiainen, BA and Heikki Repo, MD, PhD*,#

* Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
{ddagger} Department of Anesthesiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
§ Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki, Finland
|| Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Rheumatism Foundation Hospital, Heinola, Finland
# Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

Objective. To study neutrophil activation in circulation as a sign of systemic inflammation in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome.

Methods. The study comprised very low birth weight preterm infants who had respiratory distress syndrome and required intubation and mechanical ventilation (n = 51), 1-day-old preterm infants who had no need for mechanical ventilation (n = 12), term infants (n = 47), and adult volunteers (n = 25). Neutrophil surface expression of CD11b was quantified with flow cytometry.

Results. In preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome, neutrophil CD11b expression during the first day of life was higher than in cord blood (mean: 165 relative fluorescence units [RFU] [standard deviation [SD]: 53], n = 29 vs 83 RFU [SD: 21], n = 11; 95% confidence interval [CI] for difference: 59–106) or in preterm infants without mechanical ventilation (106 RFU [SD: 33], n = 12; 95% CI for difference: 17–90). CD11b expression decreased by age of 10 days. CD11b expression was lower in preterm cord than in term cord blood (95% CI for difference: 5–53). However, in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome aged 2 to 5 days, it was higher than in term infants of that age.

Conclusions. The observations demonstrate an early transient postnatal neutrophil activation indicative of systemic inflammation that may contribute to the tissue injury in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome.

Key Words: CD11b/CD18 • C-reactive protein • neutrophil activation • preterm infant • respiratory distress syndrome • systemic inflammation

Abbreviations: ARDS, adult respiratory distress syndrome • FMLP, formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine • RDS, respiratory distress syndrome • BPD, bronchopulmonary dysplasia • FIO2, fraction of inspired oxygen • SD, standard deviation • FACS, fluorescence-activated cell sorter • RFU, relative fluorescence unit • ANOVA, analysis of variance • CI, confidence interval

Received for publication Jun 26, 2001; Accepted Dec 13, 2001.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Infect. Immun.Home page
P. Henneke and R. Berner
Interaction of neonatal phagocytes with group B streptococcus: recognition and response.
Infect. Immun., June 1, 2006; 74(6): 3085 - 3095.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
R. Turunen, I. Nupponen, S. Siitonen, H. Repo, and S. Andersson
Onset of Mechanical Ventilation Is Associated With Rapid Activation of Circulating Phagocytes in Preterm Infants
Pediatrics, February 1, 2006; 117(2): 448 - 454.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]