Copeptin Concentration in Cord Blood in Infants with Perinatal Asphyxia

Abstract

Newborn infants with perinatal asphyxia are prone to the development of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Perinatal hypoxic-ischemic injury to the fetal and neonatal brain is a common cause of neonatal mortality, morbidity or long term sequel such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, epilepsy and learning disability. In Egypt hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is one of the direct causes of infant mortality rate ranking only second to sepsis, the number one cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The present study was designed to investigate the diagnostic value of cord blood copeptin in neonates with perinatal asphyxia. For this purpose the current study was conducted on 50 neonates, were dedvided into two groups: The patients group: included 30 neonates suffered from perinatal asphyxia diagnosed according criteria of The AAP and ACOG. Once these criteria of asphyxia were met, all infants were subjected to 1. Maternal history taking 2. Detailed antenatal and perinatal history 3. Deliveries were attended , Apgar score was recorded at 1, 5 and 10 minutes. Resuscitation was done when needed 4. Thorough clinical examination including a- Gestational age assessment using Ballard score b- Anthropometric measures c- Full clinical examination (chest, heart, abdomen…) d- Detailed neurological examination and then they are further subdivided into 3 groups according to Sarnat and Sarnat clinical classification 5. Laboratory investigations including: a. CBC b. CRP c. ABG d. Cord blood copeptin level determination by ELISA technique