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.

 

 
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