Preterm birth and infant diurnal cortisol regulation
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal & Neonatal
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
School
School of Nursing and Midwifery / Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Services Research
RAS ID
44318
Funders
Theirworld
MRC Centre for Reproductive Health (MRC G1002033)
British Heart Foundation (RE/18/5/34216)
Abstract
Background:
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis adaptation is a potential mechanism linking early life exposures with later adverse health. This study tested the hypothesis that preterm birth is associated with adaptation of diurnal cortisol regulation across infancy.
Methods:
A secondary analysis was conducted of saliva cortisol measured morning, midday and evening, monthly, across infancy, as part of a birth cohort conducted in Linköping, Sweden. Diurnal cortisol regulation of infants born extremely preterm (n=24), very preterm (n=27) and at term (n=130) were compared across infancy through random coefficients regression models.
Results:
Compared with infants born at term, infants born extremely preterm (−17.2%, 95% CI: −30.7 to −1.2), but not very preterm (1.7%, 95% CI: −14.1 to 20.4), had a flattened diurnal slope across infancy.
Conclusions:
Extremely preterm birth is associated with a flattened diurnal slope in infancy. This pattern of cortisol regulation could contribute to adverse metabolic and neurodevelopmental phenotypes observed in this population.
DOI
10.1136/archdischild-2021-323296
Access Rights
subscription content
Comments
Stoye, D. Q., Boardman, J. P., Osmond, C., Sullivan, G., Lamb, G., Black, G. S., & Mörelius, E. (2022). Preterm birth and infant diurnal cortisol regulation. Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal & Neonatal, 107(5), 558-564.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2021-323296