Activin A in asphyxiated full-term newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.
Activin-A is a protein over-expressed and secreted by the brain after neuronal destruction. We evaluated whether serum activin-A increases in asphyxiated full-term newborns (AFTNs) at risk of hypoxic-ischemic-encephalopathy (HIE). 105 consecutive infants (35 affected by perinatal asphyxia due to acute fetal distress; 70 healthy gestational-age matched newborns) underwent cranial assessment and neurologic examination at 12, 24 and 72 hours after birth and, on discharge from the hospital and; activin-A and monitoring laboratory variables assessment at birth. According to the occurrence of HIE within 7-days after birth, AFTNs were subdivided in Group A (n= 20; no/mild HIE with good prognosis) and Group B (n= 15; moderate/severe HIE with a greater risk of neurological handicap). Activin-A was significantly (P less than 0.0001) higher in Groups A and B than controls and highest (P less than 0.001) in Group B. At 0.66 ng/L activin-A achieved a sensitivity of 93.33 per cent and a specificity of 96.63 per cent, respectively, as HIE diagnostic test. These findings show that activin A increased in AFTNs with HIE before the appearance of related signs.
Florio
Pasquale
P
Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. florio@unisi.it
Frigiola
Alessandro
A
Battista
Raffaele
R
Abdalla
Ali El Hadi
Ael H
Gazzolo
Diego
D
Galleri
Letizia
L
Pinzauti
Serena
S
Abella
Raul
R
Li Volti
Giovanni
G
Strambi
Mirella
M
D028341:Activins / Q000097:blood*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014463:Ultrasonography
C422405:activin A; D028341:Activins