title: [Diagnostic values of prealbumin and retinol-binding protein for liver damage caused by different degrees of neonatal asphyxia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the diagnostic values of prealbumin (PAB) and retinol-binding protein (RBP) for liver damage caused by mild or severe asphyxia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was performed on 185 neonates (including 84 premature infants and 101 full-term infants) with asphyxia. Based on the Apgar score, they were divided into two groups: mild asphyxia group (n=150) and severe asphyxia group (n=35). The levels of PAB, RBP, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured and compared. Their diagnostic values for liver damage were evaluated by ROC curve analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The premature infants in the severe asphyxia group had significantly higher AST level and significantly lower levels of PAB and RBP than those in the mild asphyxia group (P<0.05). The full-term infants in the severe asphyxia group had a significantly lower PAB level than those in the mild asphyxia group (P<0.05). After treatment, the PAB level was significantly improved in the premature infants in the severe asphyxia group and in the full-term infants in both mild and severe asphyxia group (P<0.05). The full-term infants in the mild asphyxia groups also showed a significant improvement in AST level (P<0.05). The ROC curve analysis showed that PAB had a good sensitivity and specificity for identifying liver damage caused by mild or severe asphyxia in full-term and preterm infants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PAB can be used as an indicator of liver damage caused by asphyxia in neonates, and can be used to assess the degree of asphyxia.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008, China. 1026290472@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yun-Su
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xiao-Guang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhao-Lan
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000032:analysis*; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011228:Prealbumin; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases