Relationship between erythropoietin levels both in cord serum and amniotic fluid at birth and abnormal fetal heart rate records.
BACKGROUND
Our data in rats suggest that an elevated amniotic fluid erythropoietin (EPO) level at birth indicates antepartum fetal hypoxia. However, the short gestation period in rats does not permit a direct comparison of our data with humans.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective study of the relationship between EPO levels at birth and abnormal fetal heart rate (FHR) records in 113 infants.


RESULTS
Among the cesarean section group, the cord serum and amniotic fluid EPO levels in the infants with antepartum abnormal FHR records were significantly higher than those in the control infants. Among the vaginal delivery group, the cord serum EPO levels in the infants with intrapartum abnormal FHR records was significantly higher than that in the control infants. The EPO levels in either cord serum and amniotic fluid discriminated between infants with antepartum abnormal FHR records. The control infants had a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 96%. Six of the seven infants with abnormal EPO levels in both cord serum and amniotic fluid had symptoms of prolonged fetal hypoxia. Five infants with abnormal EPO levels in only cord serum had symptoms of acute fetal hypoxia before birth. Four of the 14 infants with abnormal EPO levels at birth had poor outcomes in the neonatal period.


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that EPO levels in both cord serum and amniotic fluid at birth are valuable for determining the timing of fetal hypoxia and may predict the outcome in the neonatal period.
Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical College, Asahikawa, Japan. f768fk@furano.ne.jp
Fujio
F
Kakuya
Masaru
M
Shirai
Masashi
M
Takase
Noriyuki
N
Ishii
Tooru
T
Ishioka
Tokitsugi
T
Hayashi
Mitsunori
M
Kasamo
Mitsuhiro
M
Kawamura
Kiminori
K
Sasaki
D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004921:Erythropoietin