Abstract：Objective To investigate the characteristics of immune function in newborn infants of different gestational ages. Methods A total of 115 premature infants free of infection between June 1, 2012 and June 1, 2013 were divided into two groups according to their gestational age at birth:early preterm infant group (28-33+6 weeks,n=57) and late preterm infant group (34-36+6 weeks, n=58). Meanwhile, 88 full-term infants (37-41+6 week) wererecruited to the control group. Venous blood samples were collected within 24 hours after birth. The percentages oflymphocyte subsets, such as CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and CD19+ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells were measured by flow cytometry, and the absolute count of each population was calculated using the results from routine blood work.Concentrations of serum IgG, IgA, and IgM were measured by immunoturbidimetry. Results Both preterm infantgroups had significantly higher percentages of CD3+ and CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio (P<0.05) and significantlylower percentages of CD8+ and CD19+ T cells and NK cells (P<0.05), as compared with the full-term infant group. Theabsolute counts of total lymphocytes, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and CD19+ T cells, and NK cells in both preterm infant groupswere significantly lower than those in the full-term infant group (P<0.05), and the above parameters in the late preterminfant group were significantly higher than those in the early preterm infant group (P<0.05). Both preterm infant groups showed significantly lower concentrations of serum IgG than the full-term infant group (P<0.05), while no significant differences in concentrations of serum IgA and IgM were observed between the three groups (P>0.05). Conclusions Neonatal gestational age has an effect on cellular and humoral immunity. The immune function gradually improves with increasing gestational age.
LI Yan,WEI Qiu-Fen,PAN Xin-Nian et al. Cellular and humoral immunity in preterm infants of different gestational ages[J]. CJCP, 2014, 16(11): 1118-1121.
Stoll BJ, Hansen NI, Higgins RD, et al. Very low birth weight preterm infants with early onset neonatal sepsis:the predominance of gram-negative infections continues in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network, 2002-2003[J]. Pediatr Infect Dis J, 2005, 24(7):635-639.
Melville JM, Moss TJ. The immune consequences of preterm birth[J]. Front Neurosci, 2013, 7(9):79.
[6]
Raju TN, Higgins RD, Stark AR, et al. Optimizing care and outcome for late-preterm (near-term) infants:a summary of the workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development[J]. Pediatrics, 2006, 118(3):1207-1214.
[7]
Spong CY, Mercer BM, D'Alton M, et al. Timing of indicated late-preterm and early-term birth[J]. Obstet Gynecol, 2011, 118(2):323-333.
[8]
Mathews TJ, MacDorman MF. Infant mortality statistics from the 2006 period linked birth/infant death data set[J]. Natl Vital Stat Rep, 2010, 58(17):1-31.
[9]
Soraisham AS, Singhal N, McMillan DD, et al. A multicenter study on the clinical outcome of chorioamnionitis in preterm infants[J]. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2009, 200(4):e371-e376.
[10]
Kalyoncu O, Aygun C, Cetinoglu E, et al. Neonatal morbidity and mortality of late-preterm babies[J]. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med, 2010, 23(7):607-612.
[11]
Engle WA, Tomashek KM, Wallman C. "Late-preterm" infants:a population at risk[J]. Pediatrics, 2007, 120(6):1390-1401.
[12]
Adams-Chapman I. Long-term impact of infection on the preterm neonate[J]. Semin Perinatol, 2012, 36(6):462-470.
