SOLUBLE INTERCELLULAR-ADHESION MOLECULE-1 IN NEWBORN-INFANTS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing postnat al age on soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), a very early and sensitive marker of immune activation and response in the se rum of newborn infants. Serum sICAM-1 was measured by EIA (T Cell Diag nostics) in 20 healthy adults (controls) and in 43 (24 females/19 male s) healthy neonates, of whom 28 were full term, and 15 were born at a gestational age between 35 and 38 weeks of pregnancy, on the 1st, 5th and 30th day of life. Neonatal serum sICAM-1 values showed a very sign ificant increase (P < 0.01) from the 1st day (137.3 +/- 62.0 ng/ml) to the 5th day (259.3 +/- 124.0 ng/ml) and then to the 30th day of life (415.0 +/- 114.0 ng/ml), being significantly lower on the 1st day (P < 0.01), whereas significantly higher on the 30th day of life (P < 0.05 ), than those in healthy adults (305 +/- 195 ng/ml). Serum sICAM-1 val ues on the 1st day of life depended on both the mode of delivery (sign ificantly higher in neonates born vaginally) and the gestational age a t birth (significantly lower in those born at a gestational age over 3 8 weeks). A significant strong correlation was found in sICAM-1 values between the 1st and the 5th day following delivery (r(P) = 0.77, P < 0.009). Conclusion. The results of this study demonstrate a significan t rise of serum sICAM-1 during the Ist month of life in healthy neonat es suggesting a progressively increased activation of the neonatal imm une system.