Influence of histologic chorioamnionitis and funisitis on the level of 
peripheral blood C-reactive protein at birth in preterm infants

Kim, Do-Hyun; Lee, Heun Ji; Kim, Hee Sup; Yoo, Byoung Hoon

Original Article

Korean Journal of Pediatrics 2010;53(1):33-40.
Published online January 15, 2010.

Influence of histologic chorioamnionitis and funisitis on the level of peripheral blood C-reactive protein at birth in preterm infants

Do-Hyun Kim², Heun Ji Lee², Hee Sup Kim², Byoung Hoon Yoo¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of medicine, Chung Ang University, Seoul, Korea
²Department of Pediatrics, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

조산아에서 조직학적 융모양막염 및 제대 혈관염이 출생 직후 말초 혈액 C-반응성 단백의 농도에 미치는 영향

김도현^²^, 이흔지^²^, 김희섭^²^, 유병훈^¹

^¹중앙대학교 의과대학 소아과학교실
^²동국대학교 일산병원 소아과학교실

Correspondence:
Byoung Hoon Yoo, Tel: +82.2-6299-1477, Fax: +82.2-6263-2167, Email: yoobh@cau.ac.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: The objective of this study is to determine the change of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in the peripheral blood of preterm infants at birth according to the stage of intrauterine inflammation.
Methods
: A total of 187 infants (<32 weeks of gestation) were divided into a “no histologic chorioamnionitis” [HCAM (-), n=85] group and a “histologic chorioamnionitis” [HCAM (+), n=102] group according to placental pathologic findings. Furthermore, the HCAM (+) group was subdivided into a “funisitis” [F (+), n=49] group and a “no funisitis” [F (-), n=53] group and also into a “funisitis/amnionitis” [FA (+), n=58] group and an “isolated chorio-deciduitis” [FA (-), n=44] group. High-sensitivity CRP levels in the peripheral blood at birth were measured.
Results
: Peripheral blood CRP levels were significantly higher in the HCAM (+), F (+), F (-), and FA (+) groups than in the HCAM (-) group, but were not significantly different between the FA (-) and HCAM (-) groups. In addition, peripheral blood CRP levels were significantly higher in the F (+) and FA (+) groups than in the F (-) and FA (-) groups, respectively. For identification of amnionitis or funisitis, a cut-off value of 0.02 mg/dL was chosen. Clinical chorioamnionitis, proven early onset sepsis, histologic chorioamnionitis, and funisitis had higher incidences in infants with peripheral blood CRP levels higher than 0.02 mg/dL.
Conclusion
: The present study shows that peripheral blood CRP levels at birth in preterm infants born before 32 weeks’ gestation is significantly increased in amnionitis or funisitis and might reflect the progress of histologic chorioamnionitis.

Key Words: C-reactive protein, Peripheral blood, Chorioamnionitis, Funisitis, Amnionitis