All issues > Volume 36(3); 1993

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1993;36(3):371-378. Published online March 15, 1993.

A Study of Serum CK-BB Activity as a Diagnostic Method and a Predictor of Neurologic Out come in Asphyxiated Infants

Abstract

Asphyxia is the most important perinatal cause of neurologic morbidity in infants. Recently, elevated levels of CK-BB have been demonstrated in serum after asphyxic insult in infants. To evaluate the possibility of using serial measurements of CK-BB activity as a diagnostic method and a predictor of neurologic outcome in asphyxiatic infants. We studied CK-BB activity in serum of asphyxiated infants(16 preterm babies, 41 term babies) and healthy infant(11 preterm babies, 12 term babies)from birth (cord) to 5 days of age serially. The results were as follows. 1) Serum CK-BB activites(cord 76IU/L, 12 hours 34.1IU/L, 1 day 22.4IU/L, 2 days 8.2IU/L) of asphyxiated preterm infants were much higher than those(cord 4.4IU/L, 12 hours 2.4IU/L, 1 day 1.6IU/L, 2 days 1.1IU/L) of healthy preterm infants, but there were no significant differences(P valuses>0.05). 2) Serum CK-BB activities(cord 59.0IU/L, 12 hours 23.6IU/L, day 17.6IU/L)of asphyxiated term infants were significantly higher than those(cord 2.4IU/L, 12 hours 2.7KU/L, 1 day 0.4KU/L) of healthy term infants(P values <0.05). 3) There wer no significnat difference in serum CK-BB activities between asphyxiated preterm infants who showed late neurologic deficit (P values>0.05). 4) Serum CK-BB activity(131.7IU/L) at birth (cord) of asphyxiated term infants who showed late neurologic deficits was significantly higher than that (49.8IU/L) of asphyxiated term infants who did not show late neurologic deficits(P value<0.05). In conclusion, it is suggested that serial measurement of CK-BB activity in serum of asphyxiated term infants from birth(cord)to 1 day of age is an available test for diagnosis of neonatal asphyxia and for a prediction of neurologic outcome of neonatal asphyxia.

Keywords :Perinatal asphyxia, Serum creatine phosphokinase activity