title: Prolactin and growth hormone in perinatal asphyxia.
abstract: To assess the pituitary response to perinatal asphyxia, the prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (hGH) serum concentrations were measured in 55 asphyctic (15 preterm and 40 full-term) and 35 control (15 preterm and 20 full-term) newborns at 2-4, 24, 48 and 98 h of life. At 2-4 h the median PRL in the preterm asphyctic neonates was 5.2 U/l, whereas in the preterm control newborns it was 3.2. In the full-term newborns with and without hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) it was 5.8 and 3.4, respectively. In the full-term neonates with HIE the PRL remained significantly higher than in the controls up to the fourth day. At 2-4 h the median hGH in the preterm asphyctic and control newborns was 106.2 and 54.8 mU/l, respectively. In full-term newborns it was 85.0 and 40.8, respectively. The lowest hGH concentrations were found in the severe HIE. The increased PRL and hGH in asphyxia may result from a stress-related hormone release, whereas the very low hGH concentrations in severe HIE may result from a damage at the hypothalamic-hypophyseal axis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Patras Medical School, General University Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varvarigou
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Vagenakis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frimas
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Beratis
mesh_terms: D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone