Objective: Early diagnosis is has a crucial role in both prevention and treatment of asphyxia-related complications. The current study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy grade in the prediction of mortality and the developmental status of neonates affected by prenatal asphyxia.
Materials & methods: This cohort study was conducted on 38 term asphyxiated infants at Ghaem hospital, Mashhad, Iran, from 2013 to 2017. The HIE grade and serum IL-6 levels were determined at the time of birth. The developmental status was evaluated using the Denver II test at the end of the two-year follow-up.
Results: HIE grade 3 resulted in 83% mortality rate and developmental delay among all survivors. The mean IL-6 level was 2.7 ng/ml in the control group (not affected HIE), which increased up to 29, 175, and 136 ng/ml in those with HIE grades of 1, 2, and 3, respectively. According to the ROC curve analysis, the cut-off level of 24 pg/ml could predict the developmental delay with sensitivity and specificity of 96 and 92%, respectively.
Conclusion: The IL-6 level and HIE grade are potential prognostic biomarkers for the determination of mortality and morbidity in asphyxiated neonates.
Keywords: Developmental delay; Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy; Interleukin-6 (IL-6); Perinatal Asphyxia.