Correlation of serum free calcium concentration and prognosis of severe neonatal asphyxia

Objective To explore correlation of the serum free calcium concentration and the outcomes of severe neonatal asphyxia.MethodsSeventy-three neonates who suffered from severe asphyxia and received neonatal resuscitation were selected as the subjects.Concentrations of serum calcium() and free calcium(i) in the subjects were detected on 2 h,24-48 h,and 7 d after birth.Thirty patients with i/0.48(detected on 2 h after birth)were divided into group A,and the other 43 neonates withi/≤0.48(detected on 2 h after birth) group B.The patients of both groups were observed for the changes of i and and the occurrence and severity of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy(HIE).ResultsThe and i in the patients of both groups were within the normal range on 2 h while decreased significantly on 24-48 h after birth(P0.01).The decrease was larger in patients of group B than those in group A(i :1.6% vs 0.2%).There were respectively 8 patients(26.7%) and 35 patients(81.4%) whose i0.9 mmol/L in group A and B,the difference was significant(χ2=21.87,P0.01).Sixteen patients(53.3%,14 mild and 2 medium) and 33 patients(76.7%,21 mild,11 medium and 1 severe) suffered from HIE in group A and group B,respectively(χ2=4.39,P0.05).The incidence rate of medium and severe HIE in group B was also higher than that in group A(χ2=3.86,P0.05).ConclusionThe value of 0.48(i/) can be used to early estimate the prognosis of neonatal asphyxia.The patients are more likely to develop HIE when they hadi/0.48.