Effects of birth asphyxia on urinary organic acid excretion.
Using capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the effects of birth asphyxia on the urinary organic acid profile of term babies was investigated. Random urine samples were collected on days 1 and 8 from 19 babies with fetal distress, 19 with moderate birth asphyxia and 12 with severe asphyxia causing encephalopathy. Controls were 27 well neonates. Statistically significant abnormalities were found only for the severely asphyxiated group: increased concentrations of lactic, pyruvic, 3-hydroxybutyric, 4-hydroxyphenyllactic and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acids, and excretion of four abnormal metabolites, 2-hydroxybutyric, 2-oxoisocaproic, 2-hydroxyisovaleric and 2-oxo-3-methylvaleric acids. Six other babies had increased lactic acid excretion, associated in four with transient 'jitterness' or hypotonia. Organic acid studies may help to grade the severity of perinatal asphyxia in the outcome or intervention studies.
Walker
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Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Southampton University, Southampton General Hospital, UK.
Mills
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GA
D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid; D000143:Acids / Q000652:urine*; D000156:Aconitic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D001034:Apgar Score; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000150:complications / Q000652:urine*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000652:urine; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007651:Keto Acids / Q000652:urine; D007773:Lactates / Q000652:urine; D019344:Lactic Acid; D011773:Pyruvates / Q000652:urine; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D014631:Valerates / Q000652:urine; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid / Q000652:urine
D000143:Acids; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D007651:Keto Acids; D007773:Lactates; D011773:Pyruvates; D014631:Valerates; C035864:2-hydroxyisovaleric acid; C016211:alpha-keto-beta-methylvaleric acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid; C013082:alpha-ketoisocaproic acid; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D000156:Aconitic Acid; D003404:Creatinine; C031570:2-hydroxybutyric acid; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid