文本框: NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT OF NEWBORNS; CORRELATION BETWEEN ANTHROPOMETRIC VALUES AND CORD BLOOD PROTEIN LEVELS Comert S, Vitrinel A, Agzıkuru T, Aksoy F, Akın Y Dr.Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Education and Research Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, İstanbul, TURKEY Objective: Evaluation of the role of neonatal cord protein levels in assessment of nutritional status of the newborn. Methods: 21 term newborn and their mothers were included. Gestational age was determined and birth weight, height, head, chest and arm circumference were recorded. The cord blood total protein, albumin, prealbumin and transferrin values were obtained. Correlation analysis was done between anthropmetric measurements and the neonatal cord protein levels..Serum protein mass was also calculated to eliminate the dilutional effect of blood volume on protein concentration. Results: The average birth weight was 3262±450 g.; height 50,2±1,65cm.; head circumference 34±1,44 cm.; arm circumference 9,6±0,74 cm. and chest circumference 33±1,59 cm. The average total serum protein level was 8,1±2,05 mg/dl, albumin 5±1,65 mg/dl, prealbumin 0,14±0,12 g/l and transferrin 2,82±1,29 g/l. We could not find any statistically significant correlation between the anthropometric measurements and the cord serum protein levels. After calculating the serum protein mass values with the formula; serum protein mass= serum protein level ´ weight´0.85´(1-hematocrit), correlation analysis was repeated. Serum prealbumin mass was highly correlated with weight and head circumference (p<0.05, r>0.4). Total protein mass whilst was found to be highly correlated with height, head, arm and chest circumference, it was also correlated with height.Serum albumin mass was correlated with height, head and chest circumference. Conclusion: The cord serum protein levels for nutritional status determination would help for early identiification of newborns in need of protein and calory supplementation. But it should be emphasized that the transport proteins would be helpfull in newborns only if converted to protein mass. 1949