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Unlabelled: THE AIM of the study was an evaluation of the relationship between histological chorioamnionitis and cord blood soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and CRP levels., Material and Methods: in the group of 152 neonates observed for early onset infection (clinical and laboratory signs) the relationship between histological chorioamnionitis and cord blood sICAM-1 (ELISA) and CRP (turbidimetric method) levels was assessed. All these newborns were born in the years 2002-2004 to mothers with risk factors of perinatal infection., Results: histological chorioamnionitis (ChA) was found in 50 cases, while early onset infection signs occurred in 112 neonates. The percentage of ill and healthy newborns in group with ChA and without ChA was similar. There were significantly higher sICAM-1 (p<0.001) levels in neonates from pregnancy complicated with ChA than without ChA (179 +/- 68.7 v. 147 +/- 30.8 ng/ml). There was not such difference in the CRP levels. There was also a significant positive correlation between cord blood sICAM-1 and ChA in the whole analyzed group of patients (r=0.26; p<0.001) and in the group of ill neonates (r=0.37; p<0.0001). There was a significant difference (p<0.001) in sICAM-1 levels between ill and healthy neonates from the group with ChA (191,8 +/- 73.9 v. 143,4 +/- 31.9 ng/ml) but not without ChA. No difference was found in sICAM-1 levels between groups of healthy neonates born after pregnancy complicated and not complicated with ChA., Conclusions: coexistence of ChA and early onset infection in neonates enhanced the cord blood sICAM-1 levels. Healthy newborns born from pregnancy complicated by ChA do not react by increasing cord blood sICAM-1 levels. It is not possible to exclude early onset infection in neonates on the basis of normal cord blood sICAM-1 levels, because ill newborns born after pregnancy not complicated with ChA also do not react with increasing sICAM-1 production at birth.

Unlabelled: The purpose of our study was to compare maternal serum levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma in gravidities, during spontaneous term and preterm labor and their relation to histologic chorioamnionitis., Methods: We investigated 61 women: 10 in preterm labor, 36 in term labor and 15 healthy pregnant nonlabouring controls. Venous bloods for cytokines determinations were obtained during the first stage of labor and during routine screening tests. Titers of cytokines were measured by means of ELISA technique. All births after preterm deliveries were examined to establish histologic chorioamnionitis., Results: Serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly elevated both in term (mean: IL-6: 17.5 +/- 58 pg/ml; IL-8: 148 +/- 215 pg/ml) and preterm labor (IL-6: 23 +/- 44 pg/ml; IL-8: 332 +/- 389 pg/ml) when compared to nonlabouring gravidities (IL-6: 5 +/- 7 pg/ml; IL-8: 14 +/- 11 pg/ml). IL-6 and IL-8 titers were statistically similar in term and preterm labors and in patients with and without histologic chorioamnionitis. TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma were not statistically analyzed because only a few patients had detectable serum levels of these cytokines., Conclusion: Serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in both: term and preterm labor are elevated in comparison to nonlabouring gravidities. The elevated levels of these cytokines are not connected with coexisting chorioamnionitis.

The study was undertaken to determine whether PIVH and PVL in neonates are related to cord blood TNF levels and chorioamnionitis. The study material consisted of 54 neonates--31 preterm and 23 full-term. 39 of those babies were born to mothers with clinical signs of intrauterine infection, but only in 20 cases histologic chorioamnionitis were recognised. In the whole study newborns brain ultrasound examination was taken during the first 3 days of life. Abnormal head ultrasound (PIVH--17 cases or PVL--6 cases) was diagnosed in 23 babies. That was found that brain damage, recognised during neonatal period, was mainly connected with prematurity and signs of maternal infections but not with cord blood TNF levels. We conclude that prolongation of pregnancy as well as early recognition and proper treatment of intrauterine infection can prevent PIVH and PVL in neonates.