Factors associated with thymic size at birth among low and normal birth-weight infants

Helle Brander Eriksen; Sofie Biering-Sørensen; Najaaraq Lund; Cizete Correia; Amabelia Rodrigues; Andreas Andersen; Henrik Ravn; Peter Aaby; Dorthe L Jeppesen; Christine Stabell Benn

doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.06.051

Factors associated with thymic size at birth among low and normal birth-weight infants

Helle Brander Eriksen, Sofie Biering-Sørensen, Najaaraq Lund, Cizete Correia, Amabelia Rodrigues, Andreas Andersen, Henrik Ravn, Peter Aaby, Dorthe L Jeppesen, Christine Stabell Benn

Department of Clinical Medicine

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of gestational and perinatal exposures on thymic size in 366 normal birth weight and 426 low birth weight (LBW) neonates in Guinea-Bissau in West Africa.

STUDY DESIGN: In a cross-sectional study, thymic size was measured at birth by the use of ultrasound. Information on possible determinants was collected from pregnancy cards, hospital records, and interviews with the mother. We used the log-transformed thymic index and thymus/weight index as outcome measures. Data were analyzed with adjusted linear regression models providing geometric mean ratios (GMRs) with 95% CI.

RESULTS: Determinants of thymic size among normal birth weight infants were pathologic amniotic fluid (adjusted GMR for thymic index: 0.84 [0.74-0.96]) and male sex (GMR: 1.13 [1.06-1.22]). Among LBW infants, birth season (1.11 [1.01-1.22]), maternal body temperature (0.89 [0.79-0.98]), antibiotic treatment at the time of labor (0.84 [0.70-1.00]), number of pregnancy consultations (1.03 [1.00-1.05]), maternal age (0.91 [0.84-0.98]), Apgar score (1.06 [1.03-1.10]), and infant convulsions (0.44 [0.29-0.65]) were all independent determinants of thymic index but not all were determinants of thymus/weight index. Pathologic amniotic fluid and cesarean delivery were associated with thymus/weight index among LBW infants (0.85 [0.75-0.95] and 0.80 [0.67-0.96]) but were only borderline significant for thymic index.

CONCLUSION: Exposures mainly related to stress and infections were associated with a smaller thymus, mainly in LBW infants.

Original language	English
Journal	The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume	165
Issue number	4
Pages (from-to)	713–721
Number of pages	9
ISSN	0022-3476
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.06.051
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2014

Keywords

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Apgar Score
Body Temperature
Cohort Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Guinea-Bissau
Hospitalization
Humans
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Linear Models
Male
Organ Size
Pregnancy
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Thymus Gland

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10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.06.051

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@article{0cff33c783624ef9a691cd8a2bf58d5e,

title = "Factors associated with thymic size at birth among low and normal birth-weight infants",

abstract = "OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of gestational and perinatal exposures on thymic size in 366 normal birth weight and 426 low birth weight (LBW) neonates in Guinea-Bissau in West Africa.STUDY DESIGN: In a cross-sectional study, thymic size was measured at birth by the use of ultrasound. Information on possible determinants was collected from pregnancy cards, hospital records, and interviews with the mother. We used the log-transformed thymic index and thymus/weight index as outcome measures. Data were analyzed with adjusted linear regression models providing geometric mean ratios (GMRs) with 95% CI.RESULTS: Determinants of thymic size among normal birth weight infants were pathologic amniotic fluid (adjusted GMR for thymic index: 0.84 [0.74-0.96]) and male sex (GMR: 1.13 [1.06-1.22]). Among LBW infants, birth season (1.11 [1.01-1.22]), maternal body temperature (0.89 [0.79-0.98]), antibiotic treatment at the time of labor (0.84 [0.70-1.00]), number of pregnancy consultations (1.03 [1.00-1.05]), maternal age (0.91 [0.84-0.98]), Apgar score (1.06 [1.03-1.10]), and infant convulsions (0.44 [0.29-0.65]) were all independent determinants of thymic index but not all were determinants of thymus/weight index. Pathologic amniotic fluid and cesarean delivery were associated with thymus/weight index among LBW infants (0.85 [0.75-0.95] and 0.80 [0.67-0.96]) but were only borderline significant for thymic index.CONCLUSION: Exposures mainly related to stress and infections were associated with a smaller thymus, mainly in LBW infants.",

keywords = "Anti-Bacterial Agents, Apgar Score, Body Temperature, Cohort Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Guinea-Bissau, Hospitalization, Humans, Infant, Low Birth Weight, Infant, Newborn, Linear Models, Male, Organ Size, Pregnancy, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Thymus Gland",

author = "Eriksen, {Helle Brander} and Sofie Biering-S{\o}rensen and Najaaraq Lund and Cizete Correia and Amabelia Rodrigues and Andreas Andersen and Henrik Ravn and Peter Aaby and Jeppesen, {Dorthe L} and Benn, {Christine Stabell}",

year = "2014",

month = oct,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.06.051",

language = "English",

volume = "165",

pages = "713–721",

journal = "Journal of Pediatrics",

issn = "0022-3476",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Factors associated with thymic size at birth among low and normal birth-weight infants

AU - Eriksen, Helle Brander

AU - Biering-Sørensen, Sofie

AU - Lund, Najaaraq

AU - Correia, Cizete

AU - Rodrigues, Amabelia

AU - Andersen, Andreas

AU - Ravn, Henrik

AU - Aaby, Peter

AU - Jeppesen, Dorthe L

AU - Benn, Christine Stabell

PY - 2014/10/1

Y1 - 2014/10/1

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of gestational and perinatal exposures on thymic size in 366 normal birth weight and 426 low birth weight (LBW) neonates in Guinea-Bissau in West Africa.STUDY DESIGN: In a cross-sectional study, thymic size was measured at birth by the use of ultrasound. Information on possible determinants was collected from pregnancy cards, hospital records, and interviews with the mother. We used the log-transformed thymic index and thymus/weight index as outcome measures. Data were analyzed with adjusted linear regression models providing geometric mean ratios (GMRs) with 95% CI.RESULTS: Determinants of thymic size among normal birth weight infants were pathologic amniotic fluid (adjusted GMR for thymic index: 0.84 [0.74-0.96]) and male sex (GMR: 1.13 [1.06-1.22]). Among LBW infants, birth season (1.11 [1.01-1.22]), maternal body temperature (0.89 [0.79-0.98]), antibiotic treatment at the time of labor (0.84 [0.70-1.00]), number of pregnancy consultations (1.03 [1.00-1.05]), maternal age (0.91 [0.84-0.98]), Apgar score (1.06 [1.03-1.10]), and infant convulsions (0.44 [0.29-0.65]) were all independent determinants of thymic index but not all were determinants of thymus/weight index. Pathologic amniotic fluid and cesarean delivery were associated with thymus/weight index among LBW infants (0.85 [0.75-0.95] and 0.80 [0.67-0.96]) but were only borderline significant for thymic index.CONCLUSION: Exposures mainly related to stress and infections were associated with a smaller thymus, mainly in LBW infants.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of gestational and perinatal exposures on thymic size in 366 normal birth weight and 426 low birth weight (LBW) neonates in Guinea-Bissau in West Africa.STUDY DESIGN: In a cross-sectional study, thymic size was measured at birth by the use of ultrasound. Information on possible determinants was collected from pregnancy cards, hospital records, and interviews with the mother. We used the log-transformed thymic index and thymus/weight index as outcome measures. Data were analyzed with adjusted linear regression models providing geometric mean ratios (GMRs) with 95% CI.RESULTS: Determinants of thymic size among normal birth weight infants were pathologic amniotic fluid (adjusted GMR for thymic index: 0.84 [0.74-0.96]) and male sex (GMR: 1.13 [1.06-1.22]). Among LBW infants, birth season (1.11 [1.01-1.22]), maternal body temperature (0.89 [0.79-0.98]), antibiotic treatment at the time of labor (0.84 [0.70-1.00]), number of pregnancy consultations (1.03 [1.00-1.05]), maternal age (0.91 [0.84-0.98]), Apgar score (1.06 [1.03-1.10]), and infant convulsions (0.44 [0.29-0.65]) were all independent determinants of thymic index but not all were determinants of thymus/weight index. Pathologic amniotic fluid and cesarean delivery were associated with thymus/weight index among LBW infants (0.85 [0.75-0.95] and 0.80 [0.67-0.96]) but were only borderline significant for thymic index.CONCLUSION: Exposures mainly related to stress and infections were associated with a smaller thymus, mainly in LBW infants.

KW - Anti-Bacterial Agents

KW - Apgar Score

KW - Body Temperature

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Female

KW - Guinea-Bissau

KW - Hospitalization

KW - Humans

KW - Infant, Low Birth Weight

KW - Infant, Newborn

KW - Linear Models

KW - Male

KW - Organ Size

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

KW - Thymus Gland

U2 - 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.06.051

DO - 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.06.051

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25085521

SN - 0022-3476

VL - 165

SP - 713

EP - 721

JO - Journal of Pediatrics

JF - Journal of Pediatrics

IS - 4

ER -

Factors associated with thymic size at birth among low and normal birth-weight infants

Abstract

Keywords

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