Serum cytokines in the mediation roles on the relationship between nutritional support and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To verify whether nutritional support is associated with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) by mediating serum cytokines. Methods We recorded in a retrospective cohort study the intake of enteral nutrition (EN) and parenteral nutrition (PN) in the first week, serum cytokines on Day 2–7 and Day 14–28 by examining the nutritional and clinical history of 34 newborns born at gestational age ≤ 32 weeks admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit from January 2018 to October 2019. Results Non-BPD group (24 infants) had a significantly higher gestational age and higher birth weight than the BPD group (14 infants). Among the infants with non-BPD, total proteins, total energy and EN carbohydrates, EN proteins, EN lipids, and EN energy in the first week intake and IL-4, IL-6, IL-8 on Day 14–28 and FiO2 on Day 28 were significantly lower, and IL-10 on Day 2–7 and IL-13 on Day 14–28 was significantly higher. Pearson correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between total protein, total energy and EN proteins, EN carbohydrates, EN lipids, and EN energy in the first week with IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8 on Day 14–28. In mediation analyses, total protein, EN proteins, EN carbohydrates, EN lipid, EN energy, total energy in the first week were related to FiO2 on day 28 partly mediated by IL-6 and IL-8 on Day 14–28. Conclusions Our results showed that inefficient nutrition, especially EN nutrition intake in the first week of life were associated with BPD by mediating proinflammatory cytokines on Day 14–28.