[A clinical study on neuron-specific enolase activities in cerebrospinal fluid of neonates]

Activities of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured in 104 neonates (24 cases with CNS diseases and 80 cases without CNS diseases) aged from 0 to 27 days and 50 children without CNS diseases aged 3 months to 15 years. They were determined by using the radioimmunoassay of the Eiken Kit. The enzyme activity in neonates without CNS diseases was significantly higher than that in children. No significant correlation was found between the level of NSE activity and gestational age, birth weight or the days after birth. The mean level of NSE activity in the CSF of neonates with CNS diseases was significantly higher than that of neonates without CNS diseases. Those activities gradually decreased with the clinical course. It was considered that the appropriate cut-off level of NSE activities in CSF for anticipating CNS damage and neurological sequelae was 20.0 ng/ml.