Behavioural dysfunctions of 10-year-old children born extremely preterm associated with corticotropin-releasing hormone expression in the placenta

Alan Leviton, Elizabeth N Allred, Robert M Joseph, Thomas Michael O’Shea, Joseph Majzoub, Karl C K Kuban, ELGAN Study Investigators

Acta Paediatr. 2018 Nov;107(11):1932-1936

PubMed Link

To evaluate the relationship between corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) expression in the placenta and the risk of school-related dysfunctions at the age of 10 years among children born extremely preterm (EP).

RESULTS: Only 16 associations statistically significant. Seven of these were social limitations among girls whose placenta CRH mRNA was in top quartile.

CONCLUSION: Overall, placenta CRH mRNA concentrations in the top or bottom quartiles were not associated with increased risks of dysfunctions 10 years later. Girls whose placenta CRH expression was in the top quartile, however, were at increased risk of seven indicators/correlates of social limitations.

ELGAN