Hepatic involvement in perinatal asphyxia.
BACKGROUND
The pathogenetic mechanisms of hepatic injury in perinatal asphyxia (PNA) are similar to those in ischemic hepatitis, yet liver involvement is currently not considered a component of multi-organ failure in PNA.


METHODS
A retrospective study was done on 56 newborns with PNA. Hepatocyte injury was diagnosed based on elevated serum alanine transaminase level (>100 U/L, twice upper normal) with subsequent normalization.


CONCLUSIONS
Twenty-two of the patients had hepatocyte injury. Fetal distress, thrombocytopenia, convulsions, pathologic findings on imaging of the central nervous system, and a high rate of intrauterine growth retardation were the factors significantly associated with hepatocyte injury. This damage was also associated with high mortality.
Tarcan
Aylin
A
Department of Pediatrics, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. aylint@baskent-ank.edu.tr
Tiker
Filiz
F
Güvenir
Hakan
H
Gürakan
Berkan
B
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000453:epidemiology; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000453:epidemiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures
D000410:Alanine Transaminase