STUDY OF INTERLEUKIN-6 (IL- 6) LEVELS IN PERINATAL ASPHYXIA AND ITS CORRELATION WITH DIFFERENT STAGES OF HYPOXIC ISCHEMIC ENCEPHALOPATHY

Dr. Sudhir Mehta*

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Perinatal asphyxia is a major cause of neurologic morbidity in infants. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)after perinatal asphyxia is a condition in which serum concentration of brain specific biochemical markers may be elevated. Neuroprotective interventions in asphyxiated newborns require early indicators of brain damage to initiate therapy. There are very few studies about its usefulness in asphyxiated newborns. Aims and Objectives: To determine the serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in newborns with perinatal asphyxia and its relationwith different stages of HIE. Methods: We have measured the serum values of IL-6 by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay method in 80 asphyxiatednewborns and 80 healthy newborns (control group). Blood samples were taken on day 1 and day 3 of life in all newborns. Results: The mean serum values of IL-6 were found to be decreased on day 3 in asphyxiated neonates and a negativecorrelation was seen between day 1 and 3 for IL-6. The mean values of IL-6 were decreased in different stages of HIE on day 3 as compared to day 1 and a negative correlation was observed between day 1 and day 3 for IL-6 in no HIE, HIE I, HIE II and HIE III stages. Conclusion: We conclude that serum IL-6 concentrations increased considerably after birth asphyxia, and the increase isassociated with the severity of HIE with a poorer outcome.

Keywords: perinatal asphyxia, Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, Interleukin-6.