ABSTRACT
Objective To study the relationships of serum neuroglobin and neuron-specific enolase level with periventricular hemorrhage-intraventricular hemorrhage ( PVH-IVH) and periventricular leucumalacia ( PVL) in preterm infants. Methods There were 241 cases of preterm infants whose gestational age was less than 34 weeks and were admitted in NICU of Guangzhou Women and Children′s Medical Center, Guangzhou Huadu District Matermal and Child Health Hospital and Dongguan Taiping Hospital from Jan. 2010 to May. 2013, enrolled in the study. The serum level of neuroglobin and neuron-specific enolase were detected within 12 hours and on the 3 d, 7 d, 14 d after birth. Cranial ultrasound was preformed 2~3 d, 1week, 2weeks, 3weeks, and 4 weeks after birth. They also received Cranial MRI examination before discharge or when the correct gestational age reached 40 weeks. All 241 cases were divided into 3 groups ( no brain damage group, PVH-IVH group and PVL group) according to the result of cranial US and MRI. The differences of the serum levels of neuroglobin and neuron-specific enolase among each groups were compared. Results The results of cranial ultrasound and /or MRI showed: 162 cases had no brain damage ( in no brain damage group) , 50 cases had PVH-IVH ( in PVH-IVH group) , and 20 cases had PVL, 9 cases had PVL and PVH-IVH ( both in PVL group) . Within 12 h and 3 d after birth, the serum levels of neuroglobin in PVL group and PVH-IVH group was significantly higher than those in no brain damage group (P0. 05 ) , and there were still significantly higher than those in no brain damage group and PVH-IVH group (all P0. 05). On 7 d and 14 d after birth, the serum levels of neuron-specific enolase in PVL group were no significant difference compared with PVH-IVH group and no brain damage group (all P>0. 05). Conclusion The increased serum levels of neuroglobin and neuron-specific enolase in preterm infants within 12 h and 3 d after birth would have certain clinical significance for judging whether early brain damage and PVL would happen.