Aberrant DNA methylation within circadian entrainment and clock genes two years after pediatric critical illness is associated with impaired physical and neurocognitive development.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pediatric critical illness can disrupt circadian rhythms, potentially leading to long-term deficits in growth, neurocognition, and behavior. Disturbances in circadian rhythms have been associated with altered gene expression and DNA methylation. We investigated long-term DNA methylation alterations in circadian entrainment and clock genes in children previously admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), the influence of parenteral nutrition (PN) timing hereon and their associations with long-term health outcomes.

Methods

This study is a secondary analysis of the PEPaNIC randomized controlled trial (RCT) and its two-year follow-up. The PEPaNIC-RCT randomized critically ill children to early initiation of supplemental PN within the first 24 h or its omiss

SUBMITTER: Coppens G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12763905 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature