Adrenal function of extremely premature infants in the first 5 days after birth

Biochemical Profiling of Urine Metabolome in Premature Infants Based on LC-MS Considering Maternal Influence

In this study, Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics profiling was conducted to elucidate the urinary profiles of premature infants during early and late postnatal stages. As a result, we discovered significant excretion of maternal drugs in early-stage infants and identified crucial metabolites like hormones and amino acids. These findings shed light on the maternal impact on neonatal metabolism and underscore the beneficial effects of breastfeeding on the metabolism of essential amino acids in infants. This research not only enhances our understanding of maternal-infant nutritional interactions and their long-term implications for preterm infants but also offers critical insights into the biochemical characteristics and physiological mechanisms of preterm infants, laying a groundwork for future clinical studies focused on neonatal development and health.

Exposure to antenatal corticosteroids and infant cortisol regulation

Administration of antenatal corticosteroids (AC) is the standard of care during pregnancy for women who are at risk of early delivery. Evidence indicates that AC improve survival and reduce morbidity for preterm infants. However, research suggests that infants whose mothers receive AC have an altered hypothalamic-pituitary-axis (HPA) response to stressors in early life. Results are mixed regarding the nature of these effects, with studies showing both suppressed and augmented HPA activity. In addition, research is very limited beyond the 4th month of life. The purpose of this study was to determine if AC exposure was associated with infant cortisol levels in a resting state or in response to a stressor at 1, 6 and 12 months postnatal. We also evaluated the moderating role of preterm birth in this association. 181 women and their infants participated in the study. Women were recruited during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy; at this time, they completed the Perceived Stress Scale and provided 8 salivary samples over a 2-day period for cortisol assay. They provided these data again at 6 and 12 months postnatal. At 1, 6, and 12 months postnatal, salivary samples were collected from infants to examine their cortisol levels before and after participation in a 'stressor protocol'. Data were extracted from the medical record on AC exposure, gestational age, maternal obstetric risk, and neonatal morbidity. Mixed effects multilevel regression modeling was used to examine the aims. Infants whose mothers received AC had significantly lower resting state (B = -2.47, CI: -3.691, -0.0484) and post-stressor (B = -2.51, CI: -4.283, -0.4276) cortisol levels across the first year of life than infants whose mothers did not receive AC. There was no moderating effect of preterm birth on the relationship between AC exposure and cortisol. Results indicate a state of dampened HPA activation and cortisol hypo-arousal that persists across the first year of life among infants who were exposed to corticosteroids in utero. Further research is needed to examine mechanisms responsible for any alterations that occur during development of the fetal HPA axis, including epigenetic and biochemical factors that control hormonal secretion, negative feedback, and glucocorticoid receptor function throughout the HPA axis. Findings warrant careful consideration by obstetric clinicians of the benefits and risks of prescribing AC.

Effects of etomidate combined with dexmedetomidine on adrenocortical function in elderly patients: a double-blind randomized controlled trial

Etomidate has been advocated to be used in anesthesia for the elderly and the critically ill patients due to its faint effect on cardiovascular system. But the dose-dependent suppression of etomidate on adrenal cortex function leads to the limitation of its clinical application. Clinical research showed that dexmedetomidine could reduce the dose requirements for intravenous or inhalation anesthetics and opioids, and the hemodynamics was more stable during the operation. The objective was to observe the effect of etomidate combined with dexmedetomidine on adrenocortical function in elderly patients. 180 elderly patients scheduled for elective ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy were randomly allocated to PR group anesthetized with propofol-remifentanil, ER group anesthetized with etomidate-remifentanil, and ERD group anesthetized with dexmedetomidine combined with etomidate-remifentanil. Patients in each group whose operation time was less than or equal to 1 h were incorporated into short time surgery group (PR₁ group, ER₁ group and ERD₁ group), and whose surgical procedure time was more than 1 h were incorporated into long time surgery group (PR₂ group, ER₂ group and ERD₂ group). The primary outcome was the serum cortisol and ACTH concentration. The secondary outcomes were the values of SBP, DBP, HR and SpO₂, the time of surgical procedure, the dosage of etomidate and remifentanil administered during surgery, the time to spontaneous respiration, recovery and extubation, and the duration of stay in the PACU. The Serum cortisol concentration was higher at t_1~2   in ERD₁ group compared to ER₁ group (P < 0.05). The Serum cortisol concentration at t_1~3   was higher in ERD₂ group than in ER₂ group (P < 0.05). The Serum ACTH concentration was lower at t_1~2  in ERD₁ group compared to ER₁ group (P < 0.05). The Serum ACTH concentration at t_1~3  was lower in ERD₂ group compared to ER₂ group (P < 0.05). The SBP at T₁ and T₃ were higher in ER₂ and ERD₂ group than in PR₂ group (P < 0.05). The DBP in ER₁ and ERD₁ group were higher at T₁ compared to PR₁ group (P < 0.05). The dosage of etomidate was significantly lower in ERD₁ group and ERD₂ group than in ER₁ group and ER₂ group (P < 0.05), respectively. The administration of dexmedetomidine combined with etomidate can attenuate the inhibition of etomidate on adrenocortical function in elderly patients and maintain intraoperative hemodynamic stability.

Presumed adrenal insufficiency in neonates treated with corticosteroids for the prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

OBJECTIVE

To determine if extremely preterm (EPT) neonates receiving dexamethasone for the prevention of BPD have a higher incidence of presumed adrenal insufficiency (PAI).

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study of neonates <28 weeks gestation examining PAI after dexamethasone use and PAI after intratracheal budesonide with surfactant administration.

RESULT

Of 332 neonates, 38% received dexamethasone. The incidence of PAI was higher in neonates who had received dexamethasone (20.8% vs 2.9%, p < 0.001). However, for intubated babies receiving surfactant, dexamethasone was not independently associated with increased PAI after adjusting for gestational age, birthweight, and race (aOR 2.92, 95% CI: 0.79-10.85). Dexamethasone was independently associated with increased PAI in infants previously receiving budesonide/surfactant treatment (aOR 5.38, 95% CI: 1.38-20.90).

CONCLUSION

The use of dexamethasone alone was not associated with increased PAI, when adjusted for prematurity-related factors. The combination of budesonide with dexamethasone was significantly associated with increased PAI.

Change and clinical significance of serum cortisol, BNP, and PGE-2 levels in premature infants with patent ductus arteriosus

BACKGROUND

To analyze the change and clinical significance of cortisol, B-type brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and prostacyclin-2 (PGE-2) levels in premature infants with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).

METHODS

A total of 67 cases of premature infants admitted to our hospital from January 2018 to April 2020 were included, all of whom developed PDA (PDA group). According to the presence or absence of symptoms, they were divided into the symptomatic group (28 cases) and the asymptomatic group (39 cases). In addition, 62 premature infants without PDA who were born in our hospital during the same period were selected as the control group. The expression levels of cortisol, BNP, and PGE-2 in infants in different groups and between infants with symptoms and without symptoms were analyzed, along with the risk factors leading to PDA in preterm infants. The value of cortisol, BNP, and PGE-2 in the diagnosis of PDA in premature infants was also analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, cortisol in the PDA group was significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the levels of BNP and PGE-2 were significantly increased (P<0.05). The cortisol level in the asymptomatic group was significantly higher than that in the symptomatic group, while the levels of BNP and PGE-2 were opposite, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that birth weight <1,200 g, decreased cortisol, increased BNP, and increased PGE-2 were independent risk factors leading to PDA in preterm infants, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the sensitivity and specificity of cortisol+BNP+PGE-2 in the diagnosis of PDA in premature infants were 75.60% and 73.10%, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) value was 0.759 (95% CI: 0.611-0.859), which was significantly higher than the AUC values of the 3 tests alone (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of cortisol decreased in premature infants with PDA, while the levels of BNP and PGE-2 significantly increased. Dynamic detection of the changes in these levels can provide an important reference for the early diagnosis of PDA and for the assessment of disease progression.

Association between Baseline Cortisol Serum Concentrations and the Effect of Prophylactic Hydrocortisone in Extremely Preterm Infants

OBJECTIVE

To define nomograms of serum cortisol values before 24 hours of postnatal life for extremely preterm infants and determine whether baseline cortisol values affect the benefit/risk ratio of prophylactic hydrocortisone to improve survival without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

STUDY DESIGN

We performed a predefined secondary analysis of the multicenter randomized controlled PREMILOC trial that included inborn infants delivered before 28 weeks of gestation. Nomograms of baseline serum cortisol values measured in 325 enrolled patients were determined for male and female neonates and correlated to perinatal events. BPD-free survival and severe adverse events were analyzed in placebo and hydrocortisone groups according to the cortisol z score in multivariate logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Increased cortisol levels measured before 24 hours following birth were associated with a significantly higher chance of BPD-free survival only in placebo-treated infants (aOR [95% CI] 1.57 [1.08-2.27], P = .02) based on sex-specific nomograms for baseline cortisol levels. The cortisol z score for infants treated with prophylactic hydrocortisone predicted a risk of high-grade intraventricular hemorrhage (aOR [95% CI] 1.82 [1.06-3.15], P = .03) and spontaneous intestinal perforation (aOR [95% CI] 4.81 [1.34-17.22], P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

We found no predictive value of baseline cortisol levels for BPD-free survival in infants born extremely preterm treated with hydrocortisone. However, high cortisol levels early after birth were associated with a greater risk of severe intraventricular hemorrhage and spontaneous intestinal perforation in infants treated with hydrocortisone and, therefore, a lower benefit/risk ratio for the treatment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

EudraCT 2007-002041-20, ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT00623740.