Composition of early life leukocyte populations in preterm infants with and without late-onset sepsis

Hibbert, J., Strunk, T., Nathan, E., Prosser, A., Doherty, D., Simmer, K., Richmond, P., Burgner, D. and Currie, A. (2022) Composition of early life leukocyte populations in preterm infants with and without late-onset sepsis. PLoS ONE, 17 (3). Art. e0264768.

Abstract

Background
Composition of leukocyte populations in the first month of life remains incompletely characterised, particularly in preterm infants who go on to develop late-onset sepsis (LOS).

Aim
To characterise and compare leukocyte populations in preterm infants with and without LOS during the first month of life.

Study design
Single-centre prospective observational cohort study.

Participants
Infants born <30 weeks gestational age (GA).

Outcome measures
Peripheral blood samples were collected at 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of life. Leukocyte populations were characterised using 5-fluorophore-6-marker flow cytometry. Absolute leukocyte counts and frequency of total CD45+ leukocytes of each population were adjusted for GA, birth weight z-scores, sex and total leukocyte count.

Results
Of 119 preterm infants enrolled, 43 (36%) had confirmed or clinical LOS, with a median onset at 13 days (range 6–26). Compared to infants without LOS, the adjusted counts and frequency of neutrophils, basophils and non-cytotoxic T lymphocytes were generally lower and immature granulocytes were higher over the first month of life in infants who developed LOS. Specific time point comparisons identified lower adjusted neutrophil counts on the first day of life in those infants who developed LOS more than a week later, compared to those without LOS, albeit levels were within the normal age-adjusted range. Non-cytotoxic T lymphocyte counts and/or frequencies were lower in infants following LOS on days 21 and 28 when compared to those who did not develop LOS.

Conclusion
Changes in non-cytotoxic T lymphocytes occurred following LOS suggesting sepsis-induced immune suppression.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics (CMMIT)
Publisher:	Public Library of Science
Copyright:	© 2022 Hibbert et al.
United Nations SDGs:	Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/64130

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