Use of ABGA Parameters as predictive tool for Evaluation Of Outcomes Of Perinatal Asphyxia in Term And Preterm Newborns from central India: A Prospective Observational Study

Abstract

Background: Perinatal asphyxia (PNA) is one of the three major cause of morbidity and mortality in India. ABG analysis may help to predict outcome of babies with Perinatal asphyxia. Aim of study was to identify Arterial blood gas analysis parameter as a predictor of outcome of newborns with perinatal asphyxia.Methods: We included 144 newborns, with perinatal asphyxia who were born in our tertiary health care centre during March 2021 to September 2022. Extremely low birth weight babies and any baby with major congenital malformation were excluded from study. Babies were resuscitated in delivery room, then shifted immediately to NICU, stabilised and sample for arterial blood gas analysis (ABGA) was taken within first hour of life, then the babies were intervened accordingly. The outcomes were analyzed, correlated with the initial ABGA and compared among the study group.Conclusion: We found that pH and HCO3 are better markers in predicting the outcome of perinatal asphyxiain newborns. HCO3 had the highest specificity (99.18%) followed by pH (97.54%). Discharge was higher withHCO3(mmol/L) >10 while death was significantly higher in HCO3(mmol/L)<10.This study gives an advantageover other studies conducted on cord blood sampling at birth as resuscitation of the baby is of more priority than sampling for the outcome while the amount of time taken for result and interpretation is the same. Along with the APGAR score, Arterial blood gas analysis within one hour can be used as a better predictive tool for outcome in newborns with perinatal asphyxia.