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Cord blood triglyceride and total cholesterol in preterm and term neonates: reference values and associated factors from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study

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Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the associations between cord serum total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG)levels and perinatal factors and determine the reference levels of cord blood TC and TG in Japanese neonates. This was a prospective birth cohort study using data from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, which included data on births from 2011 to 2014 in Japan. TC and TG levels were determined in cord blood samples. A total of 70,535 pairs of neonates (male: 36,001, female: 34,524) and mothers were included. The mean cord blood TC and TG levels were 72.2 mg/dL and 24.4 mg/dL, respectively. Multiple regression analyses revealed that gestational age and birth weight were significantly associated with cord blood TC (coefficient −2.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] −2.40 – −2.22 and coefficient 0.002, 95% CI 0.002–0.003, respectively) and TG (coefficient 3.09, 95% CI 3.01–3.17 and coefficient − 0.009, 95% CI − 0.009–0.008, respectively) levels. Mean cord blood TG and TC levels decreased over the preterm period; however, these parameters increased during the term. Furthermore, the mean cord blood TC and TG levels decreased over the entire range of birth weight categories.

   Conclusion: Mean cord blood TG and TC levels decreased over the preterm period; however, these parameters increased during the term. Furthermore, the mean cord blood TC and TG levels decreased over the entire range of birth weight categories in Japanese newborns. Maternal complications such as maternal parity, HDP, PROM, maternal obesity and income level were associated with cord TC and TG levels.

What is Known:

• No studies have ascertained the reference levels of cord blood lipid levels in Japan.

What is New:

• Mean cord blood TG and TC levels decreased over the preterm period; however, these parameters increased during the term.

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Data availability statement

Data are unsuitable for public deposition due to ethical restrictions and legal framework of Japan. It is prohibited by the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (Act No. 57 of 30 May 2003, amendment on 9 September 2015) to publicly deposit the data containing personal information. Ethical Guidelines for Medical and Health Research Involving Human Subjects enforced by the Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare also restricts the open sharing of the epidemiologic data. All inquiries about access to data should be sent to: jecs-en@nies.go.jp. The person responsible for handling enquiries sent to this e-mail address is Dr Shoji F. Nakayama, JECS Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to all participants in the study.

Members of the JECS Group as of 2021

Michihiro Kamijima (principal investigator, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan), Shin Yamazaki (National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan), Yukihiro Ohya (National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan), Reiko Kishi (Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan), Nobuo Yaegashi (Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan), Koichi Hashimoto (Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan), Chisato Mori (Chiba University, Chiba, Japan), Shuichi Ito (Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan), Zentaro Yamagata (University of Yamanashi, Chuo, Japan), Hidekuni Inadera (University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan), Takeo Nakayama (Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan), Tomotaka Sobue (Osaka University, Suita, Japan), Masayuki Shima (Hyogo Medical University, Nishinomiya, Japan), Hiroshige Nakamura (Tottori University, Yonago, Japan), Narufumi Suganuma (Kochi University, Nankoku, Japan), Koichi Kusuhara (University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan), and Takahiko Katoh (Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan).

Funding

This study was funded by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. The findings and conclusions of this article are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not represent the official views of the Ministry.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan

    Hayato Go, Koichi Hashimoto, Hajime Maeda, Kei Ogasawara, Yohei Kume & Mitsuaki Hosoya

  2. Fukushima Regional Center for the Japan Environmental and Children’s Study, Fukushima, Japan

    Koichi Hashimoto, Tsuyoshi Murata, Akiko Sato, Yuka Ogata, Kosei Shinoki, Keiya Fujimori, Seiji Yasumura & Mitsuaki Hosoya

  3. Fukushima Medical Center for Children and Women, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan

    Tsuyoshi Murata & Hidekazu Nishigori

  4. Hokkaido University Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Sapporo, Japan

    Atsuko Ikeda-Araki

  5. Hokkaido University Faculty of Health Sciences, Sapporo, Japan

    Atsuko Ikeda-Araki

  6. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan

    Tsuyoshi Murata & Keiya Fujimori

  7. Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan

    Seiji Yasumura

Authors
  1. Hayato Go
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  2. Koichi Hashimoto
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  7. Akiko Sato
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  8. Yuka Ogata
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  9. Kosei Shinoki
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  11. Atsuko Ikeda-Araki
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Consortia

the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) Group

  • Michihiro Kamijima
  • , Shin Yamazaki
  • , Yukihiro Ohya
  • , Reiko Kishi
  • , Nobuo Yaegashi
  • , Koichi Hashimoto
  • , Chisato Mori
  • , Shuichi Ito
  • , Zentaro Yamagata
  • , Takeo Nakayama
  • , Tomotaka Sobue
  • , Masayuki Shima
  • , Hiroshige Nakamura
  • , Narufumi Suganuma
  • , Koichi Kusuhara
  •  & Takahiko Katoh

Contributions

H.G. conceptualized and designed the study, analyzed the data, and drafted the initial manuscript. K.H., M.H., S.Y., A.A., Y.K., T.M, H.M., K.O., K.S., Y.O., A.S., H.N., K. F., and the JECS Group reviewed the manuscript and gave critical advice. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hayato Go.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The JECS protocol was reviewed and approved by the Ministry of the Environment’s Institutional Review Board on Epidemiological　Studies (No. 100910001) and by the ethics committees of all participating institutions (National Center for Child Health and Development, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Hokkaido University, Sapporo Medical University, Asahikawa Medical University, Japanese Red Cross Hokkaido College of Nursing, Tohoku University, Fukushima Medical University, Chiba University, Yokohama City University, University of Yamanashi, Shinshu University, University of Toyama, Nagoya City University, Kyoto University, Doshisha University, Osaka University, Osaka Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Hyogo College of Medicine, Tottori University, Kochi University, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kyushu University, Kumamoto University, University of Miyazaki, and University of the Ryukyus). The JECS was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and other national regulations and guidelines. All methods of this study were carried.

Conflicts of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Communicated by Daniele De Luca

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Supplementary Information

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Supplemental Fig. 1.

 Cord blood TC and TG levels at each gestational age in newborns without congenital anomalies, SGA and maternal complications such as HDP, GDM, PROM and PA. TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglyceride; w, week. *:P < 0.05 compared with TC or TG levels in male newborns born less than 32 weeks gestational age. §: P < 0.05 compared with TC or TG levels in female newborns born less than 32 weeks gestational age. (JPG 408 KB)

Supplemental Fig. 2.

Cord blood TC and TG levels for each birth weight category in newborns without congenital anomalies, SGA and maternal complications such as HDP, GDM, PROM and PA. TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglyceride; g, grams. *:P < 0.05 compared with TC or TG levels in male newborns born less than 1,500 grams. §: P < 0.05 compared with TC or TG levels in female newborns born less than 1,500 grams. (JPG 393 KB)

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Go, H., Hashimoto, K., Maeda, H. et al. Cord blood triglyceride and total cholesterol in preterm and term neonates: reference values and associated factors from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. Eur J Pediatr 182, 4547–4556 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-023-05118-6

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