Biomarkers of hepatic injury and function in neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and with therapeutic hypothermia.

Abstract

We observed a significant association between the clinical grade of HIE and biomarkers of liver metabolism and function. Therapeutic hypothermia was associated with delayed CRP responses and with lower ALT concentrations and so may have the potential to modulate hepatic injury. What is Known: • Ischemic hepatic injury occurs frequently as a part of multiorgan dysfunction in infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). • The neuroprotective role of therapeutic hypothermia in management of infants with HIE is well recognized, but the potential hepato-protective effects of hypothermia are unclear. What is New/What this study adds: • Therapeutic hypothermia was associated with lower alanine aminotransferase and albumin concentrations and a delayed C-reactive protein (CRP) response and so may have the potential to modulate hepatic injury. • An elevated CRP concentration during the first postnatal week may be regarded as an expected finding in moderate and severe HIE and, in the overwhelming majority of cases, occurs secondary to hepatic hypoxia-ischemia in the absence of blood culture-positive sepsis.