Abstract
To test the hypothesis that fetal vessel inflammation (FVI: funisitis and/or fetal vasculitis) is associated with lower blood pressure (BP) over the first week of life and an increased risk of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) among premature infants. A total of 255 infants born at <1350 g to normotensive mothers were stratified by gestational age (GA) and grouped by presence/absence of FVI on placental pathology. Daily highest (Hi) and lowest (Lo) systolic BP (BP(sys)), mean BP (BP(mn)) and diastolic BP (BP(dia)) over first 7 days of life were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA and regression analysis. Cranial ultrasounds were obtained at 2 weeks of life. Infants > or =30 weeks gestation with FVI had lower HiBP(sys), HiBP(mn), HiBP(dia), LoBP(sys), LoBP(mn) and LoBP(dia) (p<0.001) than did infants without FVI. Infants with PVL (all < or =27 weeks gestation) had lower LoBP(mn) and LoBP(dia) (p<0.01) than controls. FVI did not increase the risk of PVL in these infants. FVI and PVL are associated with reduced BP over the first week of life.
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