Association of Plasma Cortisol Levels with Gestational Age and Anthropometric Values at Birth in Preterm Infants

There are no study reports to clarify the association between gestational age (GA) or anthropometric values at birth, and plasma cortisol levels in the blood of preterm infants at birth and at one month of age. This hospital-based retrospective cohort study included infants born at <37 weeks' gestation between 2019 and 2021. First, the association between plasma cortisol level and GA or anthropometric values at birth (birth weight standard deviation score [SDS], birth length SDS, and birth head circumference SDS) was identified by regression and multiple regression analyses. Second, plasma cortisol levels in the umbilical cord at birth and at one month of age were compared between small-for-gestational age (SGA) and non-SGA infants. Sixty-one preterm infants were enrolled (SGA: 24 and non-SGA: 37). Plasma cortisol levels at birth were significantly associated with GA. Plasma cortisol levels at one month of age were associated with GA and birth head circumference SDS. Plasma cortisol levels at birth were significantly higher in SGA than non-SGA (p = 0.010). GA was an independent determinant of plasma cortisol levels at birth. SGA infants had a high plasma cortisol level at birth; resulting in speculation that a high plasma cortisol level at birth may predict abnormal neurological outcomes.

Automated summary

This study examined the association between gestational age, anthropometric values at birth, and plasma cortisol levels in preterm infants. It also compared the plasma cortisol levels between small-for-gestational age (SGA) and non-SGA infants.