[Clinical values of superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde detection in cord blood of newborns with fetal distress].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relations between intrauterine asphyxia and peroxidation and newborn hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

METHODS

The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in cord blood of 60 newborns with intrauterine asphyxia during labor (which was divided into two groups, 39 cases with asphyxia in group I, and 21 cases with asphyxia in group II), and in 30 newborns without intrauterine asphyxia (control group) were determined. The levels of SOD and MDA in cord blood of newborns with HIE were compared with those in newborns without HIE. The incidence of HIE was estimated simultaneously.

RESULTS

(1) The levels of SOD were (12,896 +/- 247) U/g Hb in group I, (9846 +/- 268) U/g Hb in group II, (17,282 +/- 134) U/g Hb in control group, significantly lower in the former two groups compared with control group, while the level of SOD in group I was higher than that in group II (P < 0.01). There were nine cases with HIE in groups I and II (HIE group), the level of SOD in these cases was (7486 +/- 245) U/g Hb. There were 51 cases with non-HIE (non-HIE group), the level of SOD in this group was (13,878 +/- 257) U/g Hb. There was significant difference in the level of SOD between HIE and non-HIE groups (P < 0.01). Nineteen cases were in < 30 min group, and the levels of SOD was (17 411 +/- 324) U/g Hb. Twenty-six cases were in 30 - 120 min group, and the levels of SOD was (12,076 +/- 230) U/g Hb. Fifteen cases were in > 121 min group, and the levels of SOD was (9786 +/- 249) U/g Hb. (2) The levels of MDA were (6.3 +/- 0.4) micromol/L in group I, (8.6 +/- 1.5) micromol/L in group II, and (4.1 +/- 0.5) micromol/L in control group, significantly higher in the former two groups compared with control group (P < 0.01). The levels of MDA were (10.6 +/- 0.6) micromol/L in HIE group and (5.1 +/- 0.8) micromol/L in non-HIE group, with significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). The levels of MDA were (4.2 +/- 0.3) micromol/L in <or= 30 min group, (7.5 +/- 1.5) micromol/L in 31 - 120 min group and (8.9 +/- 1.5) micromol/L in >or= 121 min group respectively. (3) None of HIE cases were in <or= 30 min group, three cases in 31 - 120 min group, and six cases in >or= 121 min group.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that the incidence of intrauterine asphyxia is closely related to peroxidation, and intrauterine asphyxia may be an important factor in pathogenesis of HIE. The levels of SOD and MDA in cord blood may be regarded as one of the early predictive indexes for HIE.