Stoye DQ, Boardman JP, Osmond C, Sullivan G, Lamb G, Black GS, Homer NZM, Nelson N, Theodorsson E, Mörelius E, Reynolds RM. Saliva cortisol diurnal variation and stress responses in term and preterm infants.
Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2022;
107:558-564. [PMID:
35256524 PMCID:
PMC9411886 DOI:
10.1136/archdischild-2021-321593]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To determine if preterm birth is associated with adaptation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and whether HPA axis programming relates to the degree of prematurity (defined as extremely preterm birth at <28 weeks or very preterm birth at 28-32 weeks gestation).
DESIGN
This study reports findings from a prospective birth cohort. Saliva cortisol concentrations were measured prevaccination and postvaccination, and in the morning and evening, at 4 months chronological age.
SETTING
Infants born at a single Scottish hospital.
PARTICIPANTS
45 term-born, 42 very preterm and 16 extremely preterm infants.
OUTCOMES
Cortisol stress response to vaccination (postvaccination minus prevaccination cortisol concentrations), diurnal slope (log-transformed morning minus log-transformed evening cortisol values) and mean log-transformed daily cortisol.
RESULTS
Compared with infants born at term, infants born extremely preterm had a blunted cortisol response to vaccination (5.8 nmol/L vs 13.1 nmol/L, difference in means: -7.3 nmol/L, 95% CI -14.0 to -0.6) and a flattened diurnal slope (difference in geometric means: -72.9%, 95% CI -87.1 to -42.8). In contrast, the cortisol response to vaccination (difference in means -2.7 nmol/L, 95% CI -7.4 to 2.0) and diurnal slope at 4 months (difference in geometric means: -33.6%, 95% CI -62.0 to 16.0) did not differ significantly in infants born very preterm compared with infants born at term.
CONCLUSIONS
Infants born extremely preterm have blunted cortisol reactivity and a flattened diurnal slope. These patterns of HPA axis regulation are commonly seen after childhood adversity and could contribute to later metabolic and neurodevelopmental phenotypes observed in this population.
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