Abstract
The brains of 31 infants born at 31-42 weeks' gestation and suspected of hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury were studied within 5 days by phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy to assess the prognostic significance of abnormalities of oxidative phosphorylation. Control data were collected from 30 normal infants born at 28-42 weeks' gestation. The surviving infants were examined by independent observers at approximately 12 months of corrected age. All 5 infants suspected of brain injury whose adenosine triphosphate (ATP)/total phosphorus (Ptot) values were below the 95% confidence limits for normal infants died. 10 of the 18 infants whose values for phosphocreatine (PCr)/ inorganic orthophosphate (Pi) were below confidence limits died and 7 of the 8 survivors had major neurodevelopmental disabilities. By contrast only 1 of the 13 infants with a normal value for PCr/Pi died and 1 had major disabilities.
We conclude that low ATP/Ptot values signified fatal energy failure and low PCr/Pi values indicated a very high risk of major neurodevelopmental disabilities in survivors.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Azzopardi, D., Wyatt, J., Cady, E. et al. PROGNOSIS OF INFANTS WITH HYPOXIC-ISCHAEMIC BRAIN INJURY ASSESSED BY MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY. Pediatr Res 22, 220 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00044
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00044