TY - JOUR T1 - NF-κB in tracheal lavage fluid from intubated premature infants: association with inflammation, oxygen, and outcome JF - Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition JO - Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed SP - F36 LP - F39 DO - 10.1136/adc.2003.045807 VL - 91 IS - 1 AU - A Bourbia AU - M A Cruz AU - H J Rozycki Y1 - 2006/01/01 UR - http://fn.bmj.com/content/91/1/F36.abstract N2 - Objectives: To determine if tracheal lavage concentrations of the transcription factor NF-κB, which is activated by risk factors associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and induces expression of cytokines associated with BPD, is related to BPD in premature infants. Design: Serial tracheal lavage samples from intubated premature infants were analysed for cell count and concentrations of interleukin (IL)8 and NF-κB, corrected for dilution by secretory component concentrations. Setting: Level III university hospital neonatal intensive care unit. Patients: Thirty three intubated infants (mean (SD) birth weight 903 (258) g, median gestation 27 weeks (range 24–31)) in the first 14 days of life. Main outcome measures: Tracheal effluent NF-κB, IL8, and cell counts, corrected for dilution by secretory component measurement. Results: Square root transformed NF-κB concentrations were significantly related to signs of inflammation (cell count, p  =  0.002; IL8, p  =  0.019) and to simultaneous fraction of inspired oxygen in samples from the first 3 days of life (r  =  0.512, p<0.003). Of the 32 subjects with samples in the first 3 days of life, the half who either died or had BPD had higher NF-κB concentrations than those without BPD (square root concentration 0.097 (0.043) v 0.062 (0.036) μg/μg protein/μg secretory component, p  =  0.018). Conclusions: Tracheobronchial lavage NF-κB concentrations are related to lung inflammation, oxygen exposure, and pulmonary outcome in intubated preterm infants. NF-κB activation may be an early critical step leading to BPD. ER -