Inflammatory Biomarkers of Birth Asphyxia

Although therapies in addition to whole-body cooling are being developed to treat the neonate at risk for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, we have no quickly measured serum inflammatory or neuronal biomarkers to acutely and accurately identify brain injury or to follow the efficacy of therapy. This review covers inflammatory serum biomarkers in the setting of birth asphyxia that can help assess the degree or severity of encephalopathy at birth and neurodevelopmental outcomes. These biomarkers still need to be independently validated in large cohorts before they are ready for clinical implementation in practice.