[Fetal distress: Information provided by lactate levels and antioxidant status, compared with the Apgar score]

The multitude of criteria used to assess fetal distress and the subjective character of the Apgar score led us to compare the information it provides with that from measurements of lactate and two principal antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). We measured plasma lactates, SOD, and GPX from the umbilical cord blood of live-born children whose mothers had had at least three prenatal consultations. The correlation of these measurements with the 5-minute Apgar score was tested with the Spearman correlation coefficient. Lactate levels were correlated with the baby's blood glucose (r=0.212; p=0.0084), and GPx activity (r=0.179; p=0.0061), the Apgar score (r=0.258; p=0.001) and the mother's blood glucose (r=0.167; p=0.035). GPx was correlated not only with the lactate level but also with birth weight (r=0.205; p=0.000) and height (r=0.316; p=0.0056), while SOD was correlated only with the mother's blood glucose (r=0.161; p=0.046). In multivariate analysis, followed by stepwise analysis, lactate was the main variable associated with the Apgar score. It thus seems better able to replace the Apgar score than the antioxidant enzyme levels. GPx was higher in children of high birth weight and may make them better able to combat the free radicals due to anoxia or hypoxia.