Abstract:OBJECTIVE: To investigate the renal function in newborns with birth asphyxia or intrauterine distress in the first week of life. METHODS: Sixty full-term newborns born between June 2002 and February 2003 were assigned into three groups: Control group (healthy newborns), Intrauterine distress group (Apgar score > 7), and Birth asphyxia group without intrauterine distress (12 mild asphyxia and 8 severe asphyxia) (n=20 each). Urinary levels of α_1-microglobulin (α_ 1 -MG), β_ 2 -microglobulin (β_ 2 -MG) and albumin (Alb) were detected by radioimmunoassay at 0-2, 3-4 and 6-7 days after birth. RESULTS: The urinary levels of α_1-MG, β_2-MG and Alb in the Asphyxia group were significantly higher than those in the Control group at all time points (P<0.05), peaking at 3-4 days after birth. Statistically significant differences were found between the severely and mildly asphyxiated newborns for the urinary levels of α_ 1 -MG, β_ 2 -MG and Alb at all time points (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the urinary levels of α_ 1 -MG, β_ 2 -MG and Alb between the Intrauterine distress and the Control groups at each time point. CONCLUSIONS: Birth asphyxia may lead to renal glomerular and tubular impairments and it is speculated that the most serious impairment occurs at the 3rd and 4th days of life. The severity of renal impairments is associated with the degree of asphyxia. The renal function of the newborn appears to be normal following intrauterine distress.
