The development of blood protein profiles in extremely preterm infants follows a stereotypic evolution pattern

Abstract

Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Early diagnosis and interventions are critical to improve the clinical outcomes of extremely premature infants. Here, we have investigated the blood protein profiles during the first months of life in preterm infants to shed light on the role of early extrauterine development. The blood protein levels were analyzed using “next generation blood profiling” on 1335 serum samples, collected longitudinally at nine time points from birth to full term (40 weeks postmenstrual age) from 182 extremely preterm infants. We found a unified pattern of protein development for all included infants, regardless of gestational age and clinical characteristics, suggesting an age-dependent stereotypic development of blood proteins after birth. This knowledge should be considered in neonatal settings and might alter the clinical approach within neonatology, where postmenstrual age is today the most dominant age variable.