CONCENTRATION OF MAGNESIUM AND IONIZED CALCIUM IN UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD IN DISTRESSED TERM NEWBORN INFANTS WITH HYPOXIC-ISCHEMIC ENCEPHALOPATHY

Abstract

Neonatal hypoxic- ischemic :•-:ephalopathy (HIE) is an important clinical problem in infancy asso,•iated with neonatal mortality and morbidity and long term unfaw"Jble developmental outcome. The syndrome of HIE is considered •'" a reflection of the pathological. alterations in neuronal function duto biochemical events leading to accumulation of intracellular calcium. Magnesium ions (Mg 2+) have binding sites inside the. N-methyl -D­

aspartate ( NMDA) channel and are thereby believed to block excessive

( Ca 2+) entry into the cell preventing ir •s damage.

The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of total magnesium (Mg) and ionized calcium (Ca 2+) in umbilical cord blood of term infants in different stages of HIE. Our study included 30 term infants who showed signs of HIE.

We evaluated some perinatal risk factors associated with HIE .We found IDE more in infants of mothers not attending antenatal care services, with signs of intrauterine fetal distress, in delivery by CS, in infants with extending low Apgar scores, and in infants with cord arterial PH< 7.10. We evaluated neurological abnormalities in studied cases and according to Sarna!and Sarnat staging cases divided into mild, moderate, and severe HIE