Cerebrospinal fluid glutamine in intracranial hemorrhage in the newborn.

Cerebrospinal fluid concentration of glutamine was measured in 43 premature and mature babies suffering from intracranial hemorrhage. Compared with a control group of 38 infants we found elevated levels in all infants with intraparenchymal and subarachnoid hemorrhages. Two out of ten children with subependymal hemorrhages and approximately half of the children with intraventricular hemorrhages also had elevated levels. Elevated levels of cerebrospinal fluid glutamine persisted for up to three weeks and maximum levels were reached two days to two weeks after birth. The analysis of cerebrospinal fluid glutamine concentration might be useful in the early diagnosis of intraparenchymal and subarachnoid hemorrhage in the newborn infant.