Perinatal hypoxia and hepatic cell function in preterm and full term newborn infants.

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity and the serum concentration of lipoprotein-x, indirect bilirubin and total bile acids were measured in 28 preterm and 24 full term newborn infants, with or without hypoxia, at the postnatal age 3-4 days. Those preterm and full term babies who suffered from hypoxia had increased mean lipoprotein-x, bilirubin, total bile acid concentration and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in comparison to that of controls, but the differences were not significant statistically. Clinical implications of the results are briefly discussed.