Predicting neonatal morbidity after perinatal asphyxia: a scoring system.

Predicting immediate neonatal morbidity after perinatal asphyxia has been difficult. A review of asphyxiated neonates greater than or equal to 36 weeks' gestation admitted to The Children's Hospital Newborn Intensive Care Unit in 1983 was conducted to devise a scoring system that would rapidly predict organ dysfunction observed in the immediate neonatal period. Comparison of potential score components to morbidity by multiple regression analysis yielded significant association with abnormalities in fetal heart rate monitoring, the 5-minute Apgar score, and neonatal base deficit. A scoring system was devised whose sensitivity (93.8%) and specificity (81.3%) were more predictive than any of its individual components. Prospective analysis in a similar population in 1984 validated its ability to distinguish severe from moderate morbidity after asphyxia. Positive predictive value for the score in the combined study groups (n = 98) was 79% and the negative predictive value was 83%. The scoring system may offer a rapid and accurate prediction of organ dysfunction in the immediate neonatal period after asphyxia.