RNA Sequencing of CSF Samples from Patients with Intraventricular Hemorrhage and Neural Tube Defects

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a significant complication of premature infants. With improved preterm infant survival, there is increased incidence of severe IVH, and the potential for lifelong neurodevelopmental deficits. Neurological complications are high in babies that develop hydrocephalus as a result of IVH and require a permanent ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt. Spina bifida is a congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closure of the neural tube. Hydrocephalus is also a common complication of spina bifida, presenting in 15 to 25% of cases. Often, when spina bifida is identified and surgically repaired, CSF shunting mechanisms are placed in a high percentage of cases. A better understanding of the events leading to the development of hydrocephalus will help clinicians make more informed decisions about the need for CSF shunting and other interventions. Extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) may be indicators of the multiple pathological events surrounding the development of hydrocephalus in subjects with intraventricular hemorrhage or spina bifida. exRNAs may also be indicators for the presence and magnitude of neurodevelopmental outcomes. Under that premise, we sequenced the total exRNA in CSF from children that had IVH or spina bifida, some of which developed hydrocephalus and/or had reported developmental delays. CSF collected from 35 IVH patients, no controls, some samples collected on multiple days -------------------------------- Submitter states "We are currently working on submitting the data for these protected datasets to dbGaP, but wanted to submit the processed data to GEO in the mean time."