title: Neuron-specific enolase: reference values in cord blood.
abstract: With foetal sonography prenatal detection of tumours has become more frequent. To evaluate and treat these infants it is necessary to identify the tumour postnatally. Elevated neuron-specific enolase is a biochemical marker of neuroblastoma. Since conditions during birth may influence neuron-specific enolase concentration in foetal serum, specific reference values in cord blood are required. Cord blood samples were taken from 192 healthy term newborns and concentration of neuron-specific enolase was measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Median neuron-specific enolase concentration in the reference group was 8.0 micrograms/l and the 5th-95th percentiles were 4.8-19.4 micrograms/l. No differences between male and female newborns were detected (p = 0.13). Measurement of neuron-specific enolase in cord blood, in comparison with our reference values, offers an early postnatal possibility of confirming the diagnosis of neuroblastoma.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Neonatologie, Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kintzel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sonntag
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Obladen
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase