All issues > Volume 29(4); 1986

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1986;29(4):420-425. Published online April 30, 1986.

Progostic Factors in Neonatal Asphyxia.

Hye Li Chung¹, Wan Sup Kwak¹, Haeng Mi Kim¹, Doo Hong Ahn¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Taegu, Korea

Abstract

A clinical study was conducted on 30 term babies with neonatal asphyxia, who were admitted to Pediatric Department of Kyungpook National University Hospital during 2years period from May 1983 to April 1985. Of the 20 cases returned to follow up, 15 cases were neurodevelopmentally normal but 5 cases were retarded with neurologic disability. Retarded case revealed higher incidence of severe asphyxia at 5 minutes, encephalopathy which stays at stage 2 for more than 4 days or extended to stage 3, early onset seizure, need of gavage feeding for more than 4 days and abnormal finding on brain CT comparing to normal cases. The results suggest that clinical observation (Apgar score at 5 minutes, stage of encephalopathy, seizure and feeding status) with brain CT study is valuable in determining the neurologic outcome of asphyxiated term newborns.

Keywords :Neonatal asphyxia; Prognostic factors.