https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7236-1655
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Abstract
Objective
T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC) and kappa-deleting recombination excision circles (KREC) assays have been used for severe combined immunodeficiencies newborn screening (NBS). We assessed TREC and KREC NBS values in preterm infants and investigated if perinatal characteristics affect their values.
Methods
We performed a retrospective study collecting data from TREC and KREC NBS database and from mothers’ and infants’ medical charts.
Results
TREC and KREC values were lower in preterm infants born at 23–31 or 32–36 weeks of gestation than in term infants. Gestational age <28 weeks of gestation, leukopenia, and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy lowered TREC. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy lowered KREC and intrapartum fever >38 °C increased it. Low TREC and KREC values were not associated to the risk of developing early-onset sepsis and late-onset sepsis.
Conclusion
TREC and KREC levels are lower in preterm than term infants, but this did not increase the risk of neonatal sepsis.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Ethics
The study protocol was approved by the Pediatrics Tuscany Ethics Committee.