CEREBROSPINAL FLUID ASCORBIC ACID LEVELS IN NEONATES
WITH HYPOXIC ISCHEMIC ENCEPHOLAPATHY
Ozturk MA1, Gunes T1, Karakucuk I2, Kendirci M1,
Narin F2
1 Erciyes
University, Medical Faculty, Pediatrics Dept., Kayseri, Turkey
2 Erciyes University, Medical Faculty, Biochemistry
Dept., Kayseri, Turkey
Objective:
Neonatal brain injury due to perinatal asphyxia is an important cause of
cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and epilepsy. The aim of this
study was to analyze the relationship between ascorbic acid concentrations
in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and severity of hypoxic-ischemic
encephalopathy (HIE) in newborn infants.
Methods: Infants at or above 37 weeks of gestation were classified to have
mild, moderate and severe HIE due to Sarnat and Sarnat. Three groups of
neonates were studied: 7 patients had mild (group I), 9 patients had
moderate (group II) and 9 patients had severe ( group III) HIE. CSF samples
obtained between 24 and 72 hours of life were immediately frozen at -70
degrees C till the time of measurement. CSF ascorbic acid concentration
were measured with high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method.
Results: The CSF ascorbic acid concentrations in group I,II and III were
43.08 ± 17.15 mg/L,
70.28± 42.66 mg/L,
77.10±43.79 mg/L
respectively. The CSF ascorbic acid levels were not statistically different
in these three groups of patients (p >0.05).
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the CSF ascorbic acid
levels is not an accurate tool for assessing the severity of neurological
insult after perinatal asphyxia.