Association of intrauterine growth restriction with vasculopathy

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K16300
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Embryonic/Neonatal medicine
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Inoue Hirosuke 九州大学, 大学病院, 助教 (90467902)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 子宮内発育遅延 / 低出生体重児 / 血管病変 / 血管炎

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We measured and compared various pro-inflammatory cytokines and serological markers of vasculitis in 87 newborn infants (28 IUGR and 59 non-IUGR infants) admitted to our NICU. Although no pro-inflammatory cytokines or serological markers of vasculitis were significantly higher in IUGR than non-IUGR infants, the gestational age was significantly younger in non-IUGR infants than in IUGR infants, suggesting the presence of effects of inflammation associated with preterm birth. ICAM-1 (median: 130 ng/mL in IUGR, 104 ng/mL in non-IUGR) and VCAM-1 (2009 ng/mL in IUGR, 1995 ng/mL in non-IUGR) tended to be higher in IUGR than non-IUGR infants, indicating the presence of vascular lesions in IUGR infants.

Free Research Field

小児医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

低出生体重児は全出生のおよそ10％で、近年増加傾向である。低出生体重児の健康問題は重要な公衆衛生課題である。子宮内発育遅延は低出生体重児の重要な原因の1つで、将来的な動脈硬化など生活習慣病との関連が示唆されている。本研究では子宮内発育遅延児の血管病変について調査し、新生児期から血管病変が存在することが示唆された。血管病変に対し新生児期から介入できれば、近年増加傾向にある低出生体重児の将来の健康に寄与できる可能性がある。