The relationship between chemokine levels in cord blood andoxidative stress-related morbidities in premature babies

Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals increase and exceed the levels of antioxidant mechanisms that can neutralize them. It causes tissue damage by causing protein, lipid and polysaccharide oxidation, DNA fragmentation, base modifications and breaks in the DNA chain. Oxidative stress exposed during the antenatal period causes an increase in the risk of morbidity and mortality in newborns. This study aimed to determine oxidative stress, which begins in the antenatal period in premature babies, by measuring chemokine levels in cord blood and to show the correlation between chemokine levels and prematurity morbidities. Babies born to pregnant women with a gestational age of 32 weeks or less at Ordu University Training and Research Hospital or Hacettepe University Ihsan Dogramaci Children's Hospital were included in the study if the parents gave consent. Cord blood samples were collected and IL-8, IP-10, eotaksin, TARC, MCP-1, MIP-1alpha, MIG, ENA-78, MIP-3alpha, GROalpha, I-TAC, MIP-1beta levels were measured. During follow-up diagnoses of prematurity morbidities were noted and the relationship between cord blood chemokine levels was examined. A total of 32 patients were included in the study. The mean gestational age was 28.5 weeks (±2.9) and the mean birth weight was 1206 grams (±78.2). When divided into three categories according to gestational week, it was determined that the IL-8 level increased as the gestational week decreased. I-TAC levels in those with respiratory distress syndrome, IL-8 levels in those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, IP-10 levels in those with intraventricular hemorrhage, MIP-1alpha (p=0.039) levels in those with periventricular leukomalacia, MIP-3alpha (p=0.031) in those with retinopathy of prematurity. IL-8 (p=0.048) levels were found to be significantly higher in patients who died. In conclusion, our findings support that oxidative stress and inflammation, which begin in the antenatal period, play a role in the pathogenesis of premature morbidities. Measurements from cord blood will be valuable in identifying high risk babies. Key words: prematurity, morbidity, chemokine