Neonatal Unit, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Laboratory of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
Pediatr Res. 2022 Jun;91(7):1754-1761. doi: 10.1038/s41390-021-01655-8. Epub 2021 Jul 20.
Endothelial microparticles (EMPs) act as early biomarkers of endothelial activation and damage. No studies have investigated EMPs in preterm-born individuals.
Sixty-three preterm-born children and 52 children born full-term (controls) were studied. Circulating CD62E(+), CD144(+), and CD31(+)/CD42b(-) EMPs were measured in preterm-born children compared to controls; possible associations with cardiovascular risk factors and endothelial function parameters were also assessed.
Circulating CD62E(+), CD144(+), and CD31(+)/CD42b(-) EMPs were significantly higher in preterm-born children compared to controls (p = 0.003, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). Preterm birth was recognized as an independent predictor of each EMP subpopulation studied; moreover, the mean pressure and velocity of pulmonary artery were independently correlated with CD62E(+) (β = 0.20, p = 0.04) and CD144(+) EMPs (β = 0.22, p = 0.02), respectively, whereas age (β = 0.21, p = 0.03) and being born SGA (β = 0.26, p = 0.01) correlated independently with CD31(+)/CD42b(-) EMPs in the study population. Furthermore, diastolic blood pressure (β = 0.24, p = 0.04), being born SGA (β = 0.24, p = 0.04) and the hyperemic peak velocity of the brachial artery (β = -0.65, p = 0.02) were independently associated with CD31(+)/CD42b(-) EMPs in the preterm-born group.
Circulating EMPs were higher in preterm-born children compared to children born full-term. Whether EMPs could act, in clinical practice, as a complementary tool for non-invasive evaluation of endothelium in preterm-born children, remains under investigation.
Circulating endothelial microparticles (EMPs) are small membrane vesicles released from endothelial cells and they act as novel biomarkers of endothelial activation and damage. No studies have investigated circulating EMPs in preterm-born individuals. Circulating EMPs were significantly higher in prepubertal preterm-born children compared to children born at term. In the preterm-born group, the hyperemic peak velocity of the brachial artery was independently associated with CD31(+)/CD42b(-) EMPs. Whether assessment of circulating EMPs could act, in clinical practice, as a complementary tool for non-invasive evaluation of endothelium in preterm-born children, remains to be defined in future investigations.
内皮细胞微粒（endothelial microparticles，EMPs）作为内皮细胞激活和损伤的早期生物标志物。目前尚无研究探讨早产儿中 EMPs 的情况。
研究纳入 63 名早产儿和 52 名足月产（对照组）儿童。比较早产儿和对照组中循环 CD62E(+)、CD144(+)和 CD31(+)/CD42b(-)EMP 的水平，并评估其与心血管危险因素和内皮功能参数的可能关联。
与对照组相比，早产儿的循环 CD62E(+)、CD144(+)和 CD31(+)/CD42b(-)EMP 明显升高（p = 0.003、p < 0.001 和 p < 0.001）。早产被认为是所研究的每个 EMP 亚群的独立预测因子；此外，肺动脉平均压和速度与 CD62E(+)（β = 0.20，p = 0.04）和 CD144(+)EMP（β = 0.22，p = 0.02）独立相关，而年龄（β = 0.21，p = 0.03）和出生时 SGA（β = 0.26，p = 0.01）与研究人群中 CD31(+)/CD42b(-)EMP 独立相关。此外，舒张期血压（β = 0.24，p = 0.04）、出生时 SGA（β = 0.24，p = 0.04）和肱动脉充血峰值速度（β = -0.65，p = 0.02）与早产儿组的 CD31(+)/CD42b(-)EMP 独立相关。
与足月产儿童相比，早产儿的循环 EMPs 更高。在临床实践中，EMP 是否可以作为评估早产儿内皮功能的非侵入性补充工具，仍有待进一步研究。
循环内皮微粒（endothelial microparticles，EMPs）是从内皮细胞释放的小膜囊泡，是内皮细胞激活和损伤的新型生物标志物。目前尚无研究探讨早产儿中循环 EMPs 的情况。与足月产儿童相比，青春期前的早产儿的循环 EMPs 明显更高。在早产儿组中，肱动脉充血峰值速度与 CD31(+)/CD42b(-)EMP 独立相关。在未来的研究中，需要进一步明确评估循环 EMPs 是否可以作为早产儿内皮功能非侵入性评估的补充工具。
