Effects of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome on thymus in 130 premature infants / 国际儿科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the effects of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome(NRDS)on thymus of premature infants.Methods:We collected baseline data from premature infants with gestational age of 28~32 weeks in neonatal intensive care unit of Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019.The largest transverse diameter and the sagittal of thymus were measured by ultrasonography within 24 h of birth, then, the thymic index(TI)and thymic weight index(TWI)were calculated to assess the size of thymus.The preterm neonates were divided into NRDS group and non-NRDS group according to the diagnosic criteria of NRDS, and the two groups were then divided into antenatal corticosteroid administration(ACS)group and non-ACS group according to ACS exposure.We then compared the TI and TWI between these groups.Results:One hundred and sixty-three preterm neonates were enrolled in our study, including 98 NRDS preterm neonates and 65 non NRDS preterm neonates.After matching gestational age and birth weight of the preterm neonates from two groups, 65 preterm neonates with NRDS comprised the NRDS group, and 65 preterm neonates without NRDS served as controls.Preterm neonates in NRDS group had significantly smaller TI[(1.788 ± 0.803)cm 3 vs.(2.420±1.068)cm 3, t=3.818, P<0.01] and TWI[(1.278 ± 0.380)cm 3/kg vs.(1.695 ± 0.491)cm 3/kg, t=5.401, P<0.01] than those in non-NRDS group.Besides, preterm neonates in NRDS group had smaller lymphocytes count[(3.729 ± 1.263)×10 9/L vs.(4.437 ± 1.608)×10 9/L, t=2.789, P<0.01] than that in non-NRDS group.For NRDS preterm neonates, TI[(1.487 ± 0.515)cm 3 vs(2.185 ± 0.942)cm 3, t=3.542, P<0.01] ]and TWI[(1.134± 0.311)cm 3/kg vs(1.469± 0.385)cm 3/kg, t=3.882, P<0.01] in ACS group were significantly smaller than those in non-ACS group.For non-NRDS preterm neonates, TI and TWI in ACS group also were significantly smaller than those in non-ACS group( t=2.676、3.659, P<0.05). Conclusion:NRDS is associated with thymic involution of preterm neonates, and ACS exposure affected the size of thymic in premature infants.