[Increase in glutamic-oxaloacetic and glutamic-pyruvic transaminases and lactic dehydrogenase as a diagnostic aid in perinatal asphyxia].

In order to determine the behavior of glutamic oxalacetic (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic (GPT) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) transaminases after a period of asphyxia, a study was conducted in 120 newborn children which were placed into two groups: group 1 of the asphyxiated children who were given oxygen at intermittent positive pressure for more than a minute and group 2 of healthy children with an Apgar greater than 7 after the first and five minutes and without any apparent pathology. The results showed a real increase in the quantities of all three transaminases among those in the group of asphyxiated children, which on the other hand did not occur in the healthy group of children where levels remained normal. There was statistical differences (P less than 0.001) by which we can conclude that the quantification of these enzymes can be useful as a diagnostic tool in cases of perinatal asphyxia.