Hepatic involvement in perinatal asphyxia

Background. The pathogenetic mechanisms of hepatic injury in perinatal asphyxia (PNA) are similar to those in ischemic hepatitis, yet liver involvement is currently not considered a component of multi-organ failure in PNA. Methods. A retrospective study was done on 56 newborns with PNA. Hepatocyte injury was diagnosed based on elevated serum alanine transaminase level (> 100 U/L, twice upper normal) with subsequent normalization. Results and conclusions. Twenty-two of the patients had hepatocyte injury. Fetal distress, thrombocytopenia, convulsions, pathologic findings on imaging of the central nervous system, and a high rate of intrauterine growth retardation were the factors significantly associated with hepatocyte injury. This damage was also associated with high mortality.