C reactive protein and procalcitonin: reference intervals for preterm and term newborns during the early neonatal period.

Author(s): Chiesa C, Natale F, Pascone R, Osborn JF, Pacifico L, Bonci E, De Curtis M

Publication: Clin Chim Acta, 2011, Vol. 412, Page 1053-9

PubMed ID: 21338596 PubMed Review Paper? No

Purpose of Paper

Conclusion of Paper

Studies

1. Study Purpose

   The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of length of gestation, newborn age, birth weight, gender, and other maternal and neonatal characteristics on the expression of CRP and PCT in serum which was frozen at -80 degrees C until analysis.

   Summary of Findings:

   CRP increased significantly with gestational age in weeks (p<0.01), and with increasing birth weight (p<0.01), but was unaffected by gender. CRP levels peaked in term neonates when infants were 56-70 h old, but in preterm neonates, CRP peaked when infants were 27-36 h old. The authors report average levels of CRP in preterm infants increased again between 100 and 120 h neonatal age, but there were a limited number of observations at these ages. Other prenatal and antenatal variables significantly increased CRP levels including duration of active labor, use of prenatal steroids, intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis, and duration of ruptured membranes. In addition, vaginal delivery significantly increased CRP concentrations compared to cesarean section (p<0.05), especially when the cesarean section was elective (p<0.01). PCT was negatively influenced by gestational age in weeks (p<0.0001), and increasing birth weight (p<0.05), but was unaffected by gender. PCT levels peaked in term neonates when infants were 24 h old, but PCT levels peaked in preterm neonates when infants were 21-22 h old. None of the other antenatal and perinatal variables analyzed significantly affected PCT levels.

   Biospecimens

   • Bodily Fluid - Serum
   • Bodily Fluid - Blood

   Preservative Types

   • Frozen

   Diagnoses:

   • Normal

   Platform:

   Analyte	Technology Platform
   Protein	Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer

   Pre-analytical Factors:

   Classification	Pre-analytical Factor	Value(s)
   Preaquisition	Patient gender	Female Male
   Preaquisition	Patient age	0-120 h Maternal age at delivery (unspecified range)
   Preaquisition	Diagnosis/ patient condition	Preterm birth (30-36 weeks) Term birth (37-39 weeks) Vaginal birth Elective cesarean section Emergency cesarean section Maternal complications during pregnancy No maternal complications during pregnancy Birth weight (unspecified range) Intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis No antimicrobial prophylaxis Intrapartum fetal distress No fetal distress Duration of active labor (unspecified range) Length of time of ruptured membranes (unspecified range)
   Preaquisition	Other drugs	Maternal use of antenatal steroids No use of antenatal steroids

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