NOVEL BIOMARKERS OF BRONCHOPULMONARY DYSPLASIA AND BRONCHOPULMONARY DYSPLASIA-ASSOCIATED PULMONARY HYPERTENSION

OBJECTIVE: To quantify and compare levels of potential biomarkers in neonates with i) Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD); ii) BPD-associated pulmonary hypertension (BPD-PH); iii) PH without BPD; and iv) neonates without lung disease at ~36 weeks postmenstrual age. STUDY DESIGN: Multiple potential biomarkers were measured in plasma samples of 90 patients using a multi-spot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical tests done included one-way ANOVA to compare levels of biomarkers between different groups. RESULTS: Higher levels of ICAM-1 were present in infants with BPD and correlated with its severity. Infants with BPD have significantly higher levels of ANG-2 and lower levels of ANG-1. Infants with PH have higher levels of: IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α. Infants with BPD-PH, have significantly lower levels of MCP-1 and higher levels of IL-1β than in infants with PH without BPD. CONCLUSION: ICAM-1 may be used as a specific biomarker for diagnosis of BPD and its severity.