Clinical significance of glucocorticoid receptor expression in premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome

Objective: Previous studies have shown the relationship between lung development and glucocorticoids, but no studies have been conducted to investigate if a relationship exists between respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in preterm babies. We intended to investigate whether low GR expression is a risk factor for RDS. Methods: Forty-one preterm babies, 24-35 weeks of gestation, were included in the study following informed consent from the parents. The relative gene expression of GRalpha and GRbeta was measured in the peripheral mononuclear cells form cord blood samples. The demographic characteristics of the babies and the diagnosis of RDS were recorded. Results: RDS was more frequent in the group with low GRalpha expression: 12 (60%) in the GRalpha-I group and 6 (28%) in the GRalpha-II group (p = 0.043). Oxygen use with a hood, time to reach full enteral feeds and the duration of neonatal intensive care unit stay was shorter, and nosocomial sepsis episodes and number of erythrocyte transfusions were less in the GRbeta-I group. Higher hospital costs were found in the GRbeta-II group. Conclusions: Less RDS development, and better clinical follow-up was observed in premature babies with higher GR expression.