Acute
funisitis, whose basic pathologic feature is umbilical
vasculitis, constitutes a type of fetal inflammatory response to intrauterine
infection. In the present study, a comparative analysis was performed between the clinicopathologic profiles of acute
funisitis in term and preterm placentas along with measurement of fetal plasma
interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels by specific immunoassay to assess the different
biologic implications for the fetus. Acute
funisitis in preterm placentas showed a significantly higher incidence of umbilical
arteritis (P <.000001), higher fetal plasma
IL-6 level (P <.0001), and higher prevalence of major perinatal morbidities (P <.0001). To assess the possible variation in fetal cell response to infectious agents according to gestational age, amnion cells and placental villous tissues obtained at different gestational ages were treated with bacterial
lipopolysaccharides, and the
IL-6 level of the
culture media was assayed. Amnion cells and placental villous tissues from preterm placenta showed a more pronounced
cytokine response than those from term placenta. The findings of this study indicate that the clinicopathologic significance of acute
funisitis in term placentas is different from that of preterm placentas. Furthermore, they indicate that the robust inflammatory response of the fetus associated with elevated fetal plasma
IL-6 level may reflect the
biologic needs of the premature fetus to escape from the hostile intrauterine environment.