title: Impaired energy metabolism in brains of newborn infants with increased cerebral echodensities.
abstract: Intracellular energy metabolism was studied by phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the brains of 27 preterm and term infants with increased echodensities consistent with hypoxic-ischaemic injury and 18 comparable normal infants. In the normal infants the phosphocreatine (PCr)/inorganic orthophosphate (Pi) ratio increased significantly from 0.77 +/- 0.24 (95% confidence limits) at a gestational plus postnatal age of 28 weeks to 1.09 +/- 0.24 at 42 weeks. 9 of the 15 infants with increased echodensities whose PCr/Pi ratios fell below the normal range died; in all 6 survivors cerebral atrophy developed (cysts in brain tissue or microcephaly). In contrast, all 12 infants with increased echodensities whose PCr/Pi ratios remained within the normal range survived, although cerebral atrophy developed in 3 with ratios towards the lower limit of normal.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hope
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Cady
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Delpy
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Reynolds
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000378:metabolism; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D010725:Phosphocreatine