Background: New methodologies to estimate gestational age (GA) at birth are demanded to face the limited access to obstetric ultrasonography and imprecision of postnatal scores. The study analyzed the correlation between neonatal skin thickness and pregnancy duration. Secondarily, it investigated the influence of fetal growth profiles on tissue layer dimensions.

Methods And Findings: In a feasibility study, 222 infants selected at a term-to-preterm ratio of 1:1 were assessed. Reliable information on GA was based on the early ultrasonography-based reference. The thicknesses of the epidermal and dermal skin layers were examined using high-frequency ultrasonography. We scanned the skin over the forearm and foot plantar surface of the newborns. A multivariate regression model was adjusted to determine the correlation of GA with skin layer dimensions. The best model to correlate skin thickness with GA was fitted using the epidermal layer on the forearm site, adjusted to cofactors, as follows: Gestational age (weeks) = -28.0 + 12.8 Ln (Thickness) - 4.4 Incubator staying; R2 = 0.604 (P<0.001). In this model, the constant value for the standard of fetal growth was statistically null. The dermal layer thickness on the forearm and plantar surfaces had a negative moderate linear correlation with GA (R = -0.370, P<0.001 and R = -0.421, P<0.001, respectively). The univariate statistical analyses revealed the influence of underweight and overweight profiles on neonatal skin thickness at birth. Of the 222 infants, 53 (23.9%) had inappropriate fetal growths expected for their GA. Epidermal thickness was not fetal growth standard dependent as follows: 172.2 (19.8) μm for adequate for GA, 171.4 (20.6) μm for SGA, and 177.7 (15.2) μm for LGA (P = 0.525, mean [SD] on the forearm).

Conclusions: The analysis highlights a new opportunity to relate GA at birth to neonatal skin layer thickness. As this parameter was not influenced by the standard of fetal growth, skin maturity can contribute to clinical applications.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5919437PMC
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0196542PLOS

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

skin thickness
12
gestational age
12
age birth
8
fetal growth
8
growth profiles
8
feasibility study
8
skin
6
thickness potential
4
potential marker
4
marker gestational
4

Similar Publications

Background: Australia has the highest global incidence of keratinocyte cancer. Surgically managing keratinocyte cancers in regional Australia presents geographic and economic challenges, which necessitate cost-effective resource allocation. Previous work has outlined the cost benefit for outpatient day surgical excision of head and neck skin lesions that can be closed primarily.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study investigated the lifetime attributable risk (LAR) of radiation-induced breast cancer from mammography screening in Dubai. It aimed to explore the relationship between breast thickness, patient age, and the associated radiation dose during mammographic examinations. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 2601 patients aged 40 to 69 across five screening facilities in Dubai's healthcare system.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Transcriptomic profiling of chronic hand eczema skin reveals shared immune pathways and molecular drivers across subtypes.

J Allergy Clin Immunol

January 2025

The National Allergy Research Centre, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev-Gentofte, Hellerup, Denmark.

Background: Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is a common skin disease with different subtypes, but knowledge of the molecular patterns associated with each subtype is limited.

Objective: To characterize the CHE transcriptome across subtypes.

Methods: Using RNA-sequencing, we studied the transcriptome of 220 full-thickness skin biopsies collected from palms, dorsa, and arms from 96 patients with CHE and/or atopic dermatitis (AD) and 32 healthy controls.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Recombinant collagen microneedles for transdermal delivery of antibacterial copper-DNA nanoparticles to treat skin and soft tissue infections.

J Control Release

January 2025

School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China; School of Medical and Health Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, PR China. Electronic address:

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) include bacterial infections of the skin, muscles, and connective tissue such as ligaments and tendons. SSTI in patients with immunocompromising diseases may lead to chronic, hard-to-heal infected wounds, resulting in disability, amputation, or even death. To treat SSTI and rebuild the defensive barrier of the skin, here we utilize recombinant type XVII collagen protein (rCol XVII) to construct biodegradable, regenerative collagen microneedles (rCol-MN) for transdermal delivery of antibacterial agents.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dorsal closure is a process that occurs during embryogenesis of . During dorsal closure, the amnioserosa (AS), a one-cell thick epithelial tissue that fills the dorsal opening, shrinks as the lateral epidermis sheets converge and eventually merge. During this process, both shape index and aspect ratio of amnioserosa cells increase markedly.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!