TREC and KREC in very preterm infants: reference values and effects of maternal and neonatal factors

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. We performed a retrospective study collecting data from TREC and KREC NBS database and from mothers’ and infants’ medical charts. 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 38 °C increased it. Low TREC and KREC values were not associated to the risk of developing early-onset sepsis and late-onset sepsis. TREC and KREC levels are lower in preterm than term infants, but this did not increase the risk of neonatal sepsis.

T细胞受体切除环（T-cell receptor excision circles, TREC）与κ删除重组切除环（kappa-deleting recombination excision circles, KREC）检测已被应用于重症联合免疫缺陷的新生儿筛查（newborn screening, NBS）。本研究对早产儿的TREC与KREC新生儿筛查结果展开评估，并探究围产期特征是否会对上述检测值产生影响。研究采用回顾性研究设计，收集了TREC与KREC新生儿筛查数据库中的数据，以及母婴双方的病历资料。结果显示，胎龄为23~31周或32~36周的早产儿，其TREC与KREC检测值均低于足月儿；胎龄达38周及以上可使检测值升高。低TREC与KREC检测值与早发性脓毒症及晚发性脓毒症的发病风险无显著关联。早产儿的TREC与KREC水平低于足月儿，但这并不会增加新生儿脓毒症的发病风险。