Mass Spectrometric Quantifications Of Organic Acids And Acylcarnitines In Early Random Urine Specimens Of Newborns With Perinatal Complications: Feasibility Study For The Prediction Of The Neuro¬developmental Outcome

Abstract

Aim: The availability of indicators for neurodevelopmental outcome of newborns with perinatal complications is limited. This study advances previous biochemical findings in biological fluids during complicated adaptation of newborns with techniques of mass spectrometry. Patients and Methods: Reference concentrations of organic acids, free carnitine and acylcarnitines were determined in urinary specimens of 71 newborns. The study cohort included 114 newborns with neonatal complications. For mass spectrometric investigations random urine samples were collected within 72 hours after birth. Data were correlated with the neurodevelopmental outcome at the end of the first year. Results: A diagnostic sensitivity of 93 % and a diagnostic specificity of 99 % were obtained for the prediction of the neurodevelopment of newborns using the metabolic pattern screening. Conclusion: Quantitative multiparametric profiling of metabolites in urine specimens of neonates are useful supplements of clinical findings for the prediction of the neurological outcome at the end of the first year of life.