[Effects of selective head cooling with mild hypothermia on serum levels of caspase-3 and IL-18 in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy].
OBJECTIVE
The study examined the changes of serum caspase-3 and IL-8 levels following selective head cooling with mild hypothermia (SHC) treatment in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in order to explore the mechanism of neuroprotection of SHC against HIE.


METHODS
Thirty-three neonates with moderate or severe HIE were randomly assigned to two groups: SHC treatment (n=16) and conventional treatment (n=17). Serum levels of caspase-3 and IL-18 were measured using ELISA before treatment and 24 hrs, 48 hrs, 72 hrs and 5 days after treatment.


RESULTS
Serum caspase-3 levels in the SHC group decreased 24 and 48 hrs after treatment (3.8±1.9 and 2.6±1.2 ng/mL, respectively) compared with 6.1±2.3 ng/mL at 24 hrs and 7.2±3.1 ng/mL at 48 hrs in the conventional treatment group (P<0.05). Serum IL-18 levels in the SHC group decreased 24 hrs, 48 hrs and 72 hrs after treatment (119±30, 76±33 and 71±40 ng/mL, respectively) compared with those in the conventional treatment group (138±28 ng/mL at 24 hrs, 156±60 ng/mL at 48 hrs and 182±54 ng/mL at 72 hrs; P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
SHC treatment can inhibit the release of caspase-3 and the expression of IL-18 in neonates with moderate or severe HIE. This may contribute to the neuroprotection of SHC against HIE.
Liu
Cui-Qing
CQ
Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang 050031, China. cuiqingliu@yahoo.com
Xia
Yao-Fang
YF
Yuan
Yu-Xiao
YX
Li
Li
L
Qiu
Xiang-Li
XL
D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male
D020382:Interleukin-18; D053148:Caspase 3