Multiple organ involvement in perinatal asphyxia

(1) To evaluate the frequency and spectrum of severity of multisystem dysfunction after perinatal asphyxia and (2) to analyze the relationship between the clinical and biochemical markers of perinatal asphyxia and multiorgan involvement.

Seventy-two consecutive term newborn infants with perinatal asphyxia were studied prospectively. Systematic neurologic, renal, pulmonary, cardiac, and gastrointestinal evaluations were performed. Involvement of each organ was classified as moderate or severe.

Involvement of one or more organs occurred in 82% of the infants; the central nervous system (CNS) was most frequently involved (72%). Severe CNS injury (7 infants) always occurred with involvement of other organs, although moderate CNS involvement was isolated in 14 infants. Renal involvement occurred in 42%, pulmonary in 26%, cardiac in 29%, and gastrointestinal in 29% of the infants; 15% neonates had renal failure and 19% had respiratory failure. The Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes were the only perinatal factors related to the number of organs involved and the severity of involvement; the Apgar score at 5 minutes had the stronger independent association. No relationship or organ dysfunction was found with the umbilical cord arterial blood pH, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, umbilical cord abnormalities, presentation, or type of delivery.

Our findings indicate that the Apgar score at 5 minutes, in infants who have other criteria for asphyxia, is the perinatal marker that may best identify infants at risk of organ dysfunction.