• K Sarafidis, N Efstathiou, O Begou, V Soubasi, E Agakidou, E Gika, G Theodoridis, and V Drossou.
• 1 Department of Neonatology, School of Medicine Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
• Hippokratia. 2017 Apr 1; 21 (2): 80-84.

BackgroundMetabolomics could provide valuable insights into hypoxemic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) revealing new disease-associated biochemical derangements. The study aimed to investigate urine metabolic changes in neonates with HIE compared to healthy controls, using targeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).Patients And MethodsIn this prospective, single-center study we enrolled neonates born at ≥ 36 weeks gestation with HIE (HIE group) and healthy controls (control group). We collected urine samples for metabolomic analysis on days one, three, and nine of life.ResultsTwenty-one full-term newborns were studied, 13 in the HIE group and eight in the control group. Six of the affected neonates had moderate/severe HIE and seven mild HIE. Therapeutic hypothermia was applied only in four neonates with moderate/severe HIE. Multivariate and univariate statistical analysis showed a clear separation between the HIE and the control groups. Discriminant metabolites involved pyruvic acid, amino acids, acylcarnitines, inositol, kynurenine, hippuric acid, and vitamins.ConclusionsWe have identified a specific metabolic profile in neonates with HIE, adding to the existing knowledge on the disease biochemistry that may potentially help in biomarker development. HIPPOKRATIA 2017, 21(2): 80-84.

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