Predictions of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy by Umbilical Cord Blood Lactate in Newborns with Birth Asphyxia.

AIM

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of umbilical cord blood lactate as early predictors of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in newborns with perinatal asphyxia and to evaluate their sensitivity and specificity for the early identification of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy infants.

METHODS

We performed a descriptive cross sectional study between April 2014 and April 2015 at Hue Central Hospital, Vietnam. 41 asphyxia newborns (Apgar score ≤ 7) were included in the study. Umbilical cord blood is sampled for lactate analysis.

RESULTS

Umbilical cord blood lactate levels were significantly higher among infants born with HIE (mean 8.72 ± 1.75, range 5.12 - 11.96) compared to that with asphyxic infants without HIE (mean 6.86 ± 1.33, range 4.74 - 10.30), p = 0.00. With the optimal cutoff point for umbilical cord blood lactate level of 8.12 mmol/l to susspected of HIE (area under the curve 0.799) had a sensitivity 73.7% (95% CI 48.8-90.9), specificity 86.4% (95% CI 65.1-97.1).

CONCLUSION

Umbilical cord blood lactate could be used as early predictors in diagnosis of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in newborns with asphyxia.