Abstract
Objective This study aims to evaluate the correlation of changes in serum insulin-like growth
factor-1 (IGF-1) levels with the clinical staging of hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy
(HIE) in term newborns.
Study Design A prospective study of 29 newborns with HIE (stage I = 15, stage II + III = 14) and
28 healthy term newborns as the control group was performed in the neonatal intensive
care unit. IGF-1 levels were obtained within 6 hours after birth from HIE and control
groups and again on day 3 from HIE group. HIE was classified using the Sarnat staging
I to III.
Results IGF-1 levels were significantly lower in the HIE group than in the control group
(p = 0.024). It was lower in the HIE stage II to III group compared with HIE stage I
group at birth (p < 0.0001) and on day 3 (p = 0.009). The mean IGF-1 levels were significantly higher on day 3 than on day 1
among stage II to III HIE (p = 0.006) and it was inversely correlated with staging (R = − 0.475, p = 0.009). There was a significant correlation between IGF-1 levels and Apgar score
at 5 (R = 0.39, p = 0.042) and 10 minutes (R = 0.38, p = 0.035).
Conclusions IGF-1 was lower in HIE and inversely correlated with clinical staging. It was increased
with clinical improvement in the subsequent days.
Keywords
insulin-like growth factor-1 - IGF-1 - hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy - HIE - birth
asphyxia