Renal function and novel urinary biomarkers in infants with neonatal encephalopathy

Urine biomarkers of acute kidney injury and association with brain MRI abnormalities in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

OBJECTIVE

Determine whether urine biomarkers NGAL (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin), KIM-1 (kidney injury molecule 1) and IL-18 (interleukin-18) are associated with abnormal MRI findings in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) who underwent therapeutic hypothermia (TH).

STUDY DESIGN

Secondary analysis of a multicenter, prospective study of neonates with HIE requiring TH. Urine biomarkers were obtained at 12 and 24 h of life (HOL). Brain MRI was scored per NICHD criteria. Association between biomarkers and MRI stage was determined.

RESULTS

In 57 neonates with HIE, only IL-18 at 24 HOL was significantly increased in neonates with MRI Stage 2B or greater, compared to Stage 2A or less (mean 398.7 vs. 182.9 pg/mL, p = 0.024.) A multivariate model including IL-18 at 24 HOL and 5-min Apgar performed best, with an AUC of 0.84 (SE = 0.07, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated urine IL-18 at 24 HOL was associated with more severe brain MRI abnormalities among neonates with HIE.

Training in neonatal neurocritical care: A case-based interdisciplinary approach

Interdisciplinary fetal-neonatal neurology (FNN) training strengthens neonatal neurocritical care (NNCC) clinical decisions. Neonatal neurological phenotypes require immediate followed by sustained neuroprotective care path choices through discharge. Serial assessments during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) rounds are supplemented by family conferences and didactic interactions. These encounters collectively contribute to optimal interventions yielding more accurate outcome predictions. Maternal-placental-fetal (MPF) triad disease pathways influence postnatal medical complications which potentially reduce effective interventions and negatively impact outcome. The science of uncertainty regarding each neonate's clinical status must consider timing and etiologies that are responsible for fetal and neonatal brain disorders. Shared clinical decisions among all stakeholders' balance "fast" (heuristic) and "slow" (analytic) thinking as more information is assessed regarding etiopathogenetic effects that impair the developmental neuroplasticity process. Two case vignettes stress the importance of FNN perspectives during NNCC that integrates this dual cognitive approach. Clinical care paths evaluations are discussed for an encephalopathic extremely preterm and full-term newborn. Recognition of cognitive errors followed by debiasing strategies can improve clinical decisions during NICU care. Re-evaluations with serial assessments of examination, imaging, placental-cord, and metabolic-genetic information improve clinical decisions that maintain accuracy for interventions and outcome predictions. Discharge planning includes shared decisions among all stakeholders when coordinating primary care, pediatric subspecialty, and early intervention participation. Prioritizing social determinants of healthcare during FNN training strengthens equitable career long NNCC clinical practice, education, and research goals. These perspectives contribute to a life course brain health capital strategy that will benefit all persons across each and successive lifespans.

Gut microbiota and neonatal acute kidney injury biomarkers

One of the most frequent issues in newborns is acute kidney injury (AKI), which can lengthen their hospital stay or potentially raise their chance of dying. The gut-kidney axis establishes a bidirectional interplay between gut microbiota and kidney illness, particularly AKI, and demonstrates the importance of gut microbiota to host health. Since the ability to predict neonatal AKI using blood creatinine and urine output as evaluation parameters is somewhat constrained, a number of interesting biomarkers have been developed. There are few in-depth studies on the relationships between these neonatal AKI indicators and gut microbiota. In order to gain fresh insights into the gut-kidney axis of neonatal AKI, this review is based on the gut-kidney axis and describes relationships between gut microbiota and neonatal AKI biomarkers.

Recent Advances of Proteomics in Management of Acute Kidney Injury

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is currently recognized as a life-threatening disease, leading to an exponential increase in morbidity and mortality worldwide. At present, AKI is characterized by a significant increase in serum creatinine (SCr) levels, typically followed by a sudden drop in glomerulus filtration rate (GFR). Changes in urine output are usually associated with the renal inability to excrete urea and other nitrogenous waste products, causing extracellular volume and electrolyte imbalances. Several molecular mechanisms were proposed to be affiliated with AKI development and progression, ultimately involving renal epithelium tubular cell-cycle arrest, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, the inability to recover and regenerate proximal tubules, and impaired endothelial function. Diagnosis and prognosis using state-of-the-art clinical markers are often late and provide poor outcomes at disease onset. Inappropriate clinical assessment is a strong disease contributor, actively driving progression towards end stage renal disease (ESRD). Proteins, as the main functional and structural unit of the cell, provide the opportunity to monitor the disease on a molecular level. Changes in the proteomic profiles are pivotal for the expression of molecular pathways and disease pathogenesis. Introduction of highly-sensitive and innovative technology enabled the discovery of novel biomarkers for improved risk stratification, better and more cost-effective medical care for the ill patients and advanced personalized medicine. In line with those strategies, this review provides and discusses the latest findings of proteomic-based biomarkers and their prospective clinical application for AKI management.

Renal oximetry for early acute kidney injury detection in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy receiving therapeutic hypothermia

BACKGROUND

Neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) receiving therapeutic hypothermia are at high risk of acute kidney injury (AKI).

METHODS

We performed a two-site prospective observational study from 2018 to 2019 to evaluate the utility of renal near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in detecting AKI in 38 neonates with HIE receiving therapeutic hypothermia. AKI was defined by a delayed rate of serum creatinine decline (< 33% on day 3 of life, < 40% on day 5, and < 46% on day 7). Renal saturation (Rsat) and systemic oxygen saturation (SpO2) were continuously measured for the first 96 h of life (HOL). Renal fractional tissue oxygen extraction (RFTOE) was calculated as (SpO2 - Rsat)/(SpO2). Using renal NIRS, urine biomarkers, and perinatal factors, logistic regression was performed to develop a model that predicted AKI.

RESULTS

AKI occurred in 20 of 38 neonates (53%). During the first 96 HOL, Rsat was higher, and RFTOE was lower in the AKI group vs. the no AKI group (P < 0.001). Rsat > 70% had a fair predictive performance for AKI at 48-84 HOL (AUC 0.71-0.79). RFTOE ≤ 25 had a good predictive performance for AKI at 42-66 HOL (AUC 0.8-0.83). The final statistical model with the best fit to predict AKI (AUC = 0.88) included RFTOE at 48 HOL (P = 0.012) and pH of the infants' first postnatal blood gas (P = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

Lower RFTOE on renal NIRS and pH on infant first blood gas may be early predictors for AKI in neonates with HIE receiving therapeutic hypothermia. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

An integrated analysis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy-related cell sequencing outcomes via genes network construction

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is one of the main causes of morbidity and severe neurological deficits in neonates. This study aimed to find core genes and their potential roles in HIE with the help of single-cell sequencing (SCS) technology and genes network construction. We collected and screened an HIE genes data set from the Pubmed database to analyze differential expression, and the differential values of genes were ≥3 or ≤-3 in gene expression. We constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network by the string, which was also verified by Cytoscape 3.8.2. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to determine the characteristics and pathways of the core genes. We examined two meaningful papers and integrated all genes by SCS, which were classified into 12,093 genes without duplicates, 217 shared genes, and 11,876 distinct genes. Among 217 genes, the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family was the most targeted gene in the PPI network. Moreover, Gene Ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genome analysis showed that the process in response to virus and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway play significant roles in HIE. We also found that 54 screened genes were highly expressed, while three genes (B2M, VIM, and MRPS30) were different in the heat map and differential genes expression exhibition. VIM, as an essential portion of the brain's cytoskeleton, is closely linked to STAT and neurologic development. From the findings of SCS and bioinformatics predictive analytics model, our outcomes provided a better understanding of the roles of STAT, the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, and VIM, which can pave an alternative avenue for further studies on HIE progression.

Urine Biomarkers for the Assessment of Acute Kidney Injury in Neonates with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Receiving Therapeutic Hypothermia

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the predictive performance of urine biomarkers for acute kidney injury (AKI) in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) receiving therapeutic hypothermia.

STUDY DESIGN

We performed a multicenter prospective observational study of 64 neonates. Urine specimens were obtained at 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours of life and evaluated for neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), cystatin C, interleukin-18 (IL-18), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP2), and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7). Logistic regression models with receiver operating characteristics for area under the curve (AUC) were used to assess associations with neonatal modified KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) AKI criteria.

RESULTS

AKI occurred in 16 of 64 infants (25%). Neonates with AKI had more days of vasopressor drug use compared with those without AKI (median [IQR], 2 [0-5] days vs 0 [0-2] days; P = .026). Mortality was greater in neonates with AKI (25% vs 2%; P = .012). Although NGAL, KIM-1, and IL-18 were significantly associated with AKI, the AUCs yielded only a fair prediction. KIM-1 had the best predictive performance across time points, with an AUC (SE) of 0.79 (0.11) at 48 hours of life. NGAL and IL-18 had AUCs (SE) of 0.78 (0.09) and 0.73 (0.10), respectively, at 48 hours of life.

CONCLUSIONS

Urine NGAL, KIM-1, and IL-18 levels were elevated in neonates with HIE receiving therapeutic hypothermia who developed AKI. However, wide variability and unclear cutoff levels make their clinical utility unclear.

Multi-organ dysfunction scoring in neonatal encephalopathy (MODE Score) and neurodevelopmental outcomes

AIM

Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is associated with an increased risk of multi-organ injury. The lack of standardised definitions for multi-organ dysfunction in NE hinders accurate quantification of these complications.

METHODS

A simple multi-organ dysfunction in neonatal encephalopathy scoring (MODE) system was created to include the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, haematological and neurological systems with a maximum score of 15. The MODE score was then compared with the grade of NE, Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Bayley-III) at 2 years of age and mortality. The Bayley score was used as it gave an objective score making it easier to compare the MODE score. Bayley score of <90 and/or abnormal MRI as an adverse outcome.

RESULTS

Infants with perinatal asphyxia (PA:n = 85) were prospectively enrolled (PA only n = 9; NE I = 23; NE II = 42; NE III = 11). Infants with higher MODE scores were significantly more likely to have moderate/severe NE (NE II/III: median scores (IQR) 7(5-10) versus mild NE 2 (1-3); p-value < 0.001) The MODE score was highly predictive of mortality (AUC 0.96, p-value = 0.002). Infants who had an abnormal neurological examination at discharge or abnormal Bayley-III scores had significantly higher MODE scores (p-value = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Quantifying multi-organ injury is important to plan optimal early management and long-term follow-up. Additional use of clinical biomarkers may be useful as surrogate endpoints in future clinical trials and link to multi-organ longer-term developmental follow-up.

Hypothermia cannot ameliorate renal fibrosis after asphyxia in the newborn piglet

BACKGROUND

The effects of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) on renal function are not widely reported, especially in longer term animal models. The hypothesis of this study was that TH of the kidneys of hypoxic-ischemic newborn piglets would reduce pathological renal fibrosis.

METHODS

Twenty-five newborn piglets obtained within 24 h of birth were classified into a control group (n = 5), an hypoxic insult with normothermia (HI-NT) group (n = 12), and an hypoxic insult with TH (HI-TH) group (33.5 °C ± 0.5 °C for 24 h; n = 8). Five days after the insult, all piglets were sacrificed under deep anesthesia by isoflurane inhalation. The kidneys were perfused with phosphate-buffered paraformaldehyde and immersed in formalin buffer. Territory fibrosis was studied and scored in the renal medulla using Azan staining.

RESULTS

Fibrosis area scores (means ± standard deviations) based on Azan staining were 1.00 ± 0.46 in the control group, 2.85 ± 0.93 in the HI-NT group, and 3.58 ± 1.14 in the HI-TH group. The fibrosis area of the HI-NT and HI-TH groups was larger than that of the control. The HI-NT and HI-TH groups were not statistically different.

CONCLUSIONS

Renal fibrosis is affected by perinatal asphyxia and cannot be prevented by TH, based on histopathological findings.

Management of Acute Kidney Injury in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common problem in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Neonates born at <1,000 g (extremely low birth weight, ELBW) are at an increased risk of secondary associated comorbidities such as intrauterine growth restriction, prematurity, volume restriction, ischaemic injury, among others. Studies estimate up to 50% ELBW infants experience at least one episode of AKI during their NICU stay. Although no curative treatment for AKI currently exists, recognition is vital to reduce potential ongoing injury and mitigate long-term consequences of AKI. However, the definition of AKI is imperfect in this population and presents clinical challenges to correct identification, thus contributing to under recognition and reporting. Additionally, the absence of guidelines for the management of AKI in ELBW infants has led to variations in practice. This review summarizes AKI in the ELBW infant and includes suggestions such as close observation of daily fluid balance, review of medications to reduce nephrotoxic exposure, management of electrolytes, maximizing nutrition, and the use of diuretics and/or dialysis when appropriate.

Decreased urinary uromodulin is potentially associated with acute kidney injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Urinary uromodulin (uUMOD) is one of the novel biomarkers for predicting AKI. However, currently available publications showed inconsistent results. We designed this meta-analysis to evaluate the potential association between uUMOD and AKI.

METHODS

We searched research articles with no language restriction in Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, and 3 Chinese datasets from inception to February 2021. We used random-effects models to estimate the standardized mean difference (SMD) between patients with AKI or not, while the leave-one-out method and random-effects meta-regression to evaluate the sensitivity and the impact of potential confounders such as age and surgery.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis comprising 3148 subjects from 11 studies showed that the uUMOD of the AKI group is significantly lower than the non-AKI group (SMD: - 0.71; 95% confidence interval (CI), - 1.00, - 0.42, P < 0. 001, I2 = 78.8%). Subgroup analysis revealed the difference is also significant in a different age, surgery condition, and assay time but not acute rejection (AR) group, especially in children (SMD: - 1.21, 95% CI: - 1.80, - 0.61; P < 0.001) and patients undergoing surgery (SMD: - 1.03, 95% CI: - 1.75, - 0.30; P < 0.001). Lower uromodulin is associated with higher odds for AKI incidence (odds ratio = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.12, 5.47; P < 0.001, I2 = 89%). Meta-reggression found that age was associated with the SMD of uUMOD. The study outcome was reliably confirmed by the sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggested a negative association between uUMOD and AKI especially in children and surgical patients.

Neonatal Acute Kidney Injury: Understanding of the Impact on the Smallest Patients

The study of neonatal acute kidney injury (AKI) has transitioned from small, single-center studies to the development of a large, multicenter cohort. The scope of research has expanded from assessment of incidence and mortality to analysis of more specific risk factors, novel urinary biomarkers, interplay between AKI and other organ systems, impact of fluid overload, and quality improvement efforts. The intensification has occurred through collaboration between the neonatology and nephrology communities. This review discusses 2 case scenarios to illustrate the clinical presentation of neonatal AKI, important risk factors, and approaches to minimize AKI events and adverse long-term outcomes.

Acute Kidney Injury in Neonates with Perinatal Asphyxia Receiving Therapeutic Hypothermia

OBJECTIVE

To assess the incidence and severity of acute kidney injury (AKI) and evaluate risk factors that predict AKI in asphyxiated infants receiving therapeutic hypothermia.

STUDY DESIGN

Infants ≥36 weeks' gestation diagnosed with moderate-to-severe perinatal asphyxia and received therapeutic hypothermia were reviewed retrospectively (n = 166). Modified Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria were used to diagnose AKI. The results of infants with AKI were compared with the infants who did not develop AKI.

RESULTS

AKI developed in 49 (29.5%) infants, of whom 22 had stage I, 13 had stage II, and 14 had stage III AKI. The overall mortality rate was 15.7% and was significantly higher in infants with AKI when compared with infants without AKI (41 vs. 5%; p < 0.001). Asystole at birth (p = 0.044), placental abruption (p = 0.041), outborn status (p = 0.041), need for vasopressor support (p = 0.031), increased bleeding tendency (p = 0.031), initial lactate level (p = 0.015), and 12-hour lactate level (p = 0.029) were independent risk factors for the development of AKI. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated a good predictive value for initial lactate level (>15 mmol/L), with 69% sensitivity (95% CI: 55-82) and 82% specificity (95% CI: 74-89), and for 12-hour lactate level (>6 mmol/L), with 83.7% sensitivity (95% CI: 70-93) and 73.5% specificity (95% CI: 64.5-81), to predict AKI.

CONCLUSION

AKI is still a common complication of perinatal asphyxia despite treatment with therapeutic hypothermia. Identification of risk factors associated with the development of AKI in asphyxiated infants would be potentially beneficial to reduce morbidity and mortality. Besides perinatal risk factors, initial and 12-hour lactate concentrations can be used for the early prediction of AKI.

Altered inflammasome activation in neonatal encephalopathy persists in childhood

Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is characterized by altered neurological function in term infants and inflammation plays an important pathophysiological role. Inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐1ra and IL‐18 are activated by the nucleotide‐binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)‐, leucine‐rich repeat domain (LRR)‐ and NOD‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome; furthermore, we aimed to examine the role of the inflammasome multiprotein complex involved in proinflammatory responses from the newborn period to childhood in NE. Cytokine concentrations were measured by multiplex enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in neonates and children with NE in the absence or presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin. We then investigated expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome genes, NLRP3, IL‐1β and ASC by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serum samples from 40 NE patients at days 1 and 3 of the first week of life and in 37 patients at age 4–7 years were analysed. An increase in serum IL‐1ra and IL‐18 in neonates with NE on days 1 and 3 was observed compared to neonatal controls. IL‐1ra in NE was decreased to normal levels at school age, whereas serum IL‐18 in NE was even higher at school age compared to school age controls and NE in the first week of life. Percentage of LPS response was higher in newborns compared to school‐age NE. NLRP3 and IL‐1β gene expression were up‐regulated in the presence of LPS in NE neonates and NLRP3 gene expression remained up‐regulated at school age in NE patients compared to controls. Increased inflammasome activation in the first day of life in NE persists in childhood, and may increase the window for therapeutic intervention.

Multi-Organ Dysfunction in Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy (CP) describes a heterogenous group of non-progressive disorders of posture or movement, causing activity limitation, due to a lesion in the developing brain. CP is an umbrella term for a heterogenous condition and is, therefore, descriptive rather than a diagnosis. Each case requires detailed consideration of etiology. Our understanding of the underlying cause of CP has developed significantly, with areas such as inflammation, epigenetics and genetic susceptibility to subsequent insults providing new insights. Alongside this, there has been increasing recognition of the multi-organ dysfunction (MOD) associated with CP, in particular in children with higher levels of motor impairment. Therefore, CP should not be seen as an unchanging disorder caused by a solitary insult but rather, as a condition which evolves over time. Assessment of multi-organ function may help to prevent complications in later childhood or adulthood. It may also contribute to an improved understanding of the etiology and thus may have an implication in prevention, interventional methods and therapies. MOD in CP has not yet been quantified and a scoring system may prove useful in allowing advanced clinical planning and follow-up of children with CP. Additionally, several biomarkers hold promise in assisting with long-term monitoring. Clinicians should be aware of the multi-system complications that are associated with CP and which may present significant diagnostic challenges given that many children with CP communicate non-verbally. A step-wise, logical, multi-system approach is required to ensure that the best care is provided to these children. This review summarizes multi-organ dysfunction in children with CP whilst highlighting emerging research and gaps in our knowledge. We identify some potential organ-specific biomarkers which may prove useful in developing guidelines for follow-up and management of these children throughout their lifespan.

Biomarkers in newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy treated with therapeutic hypothermia

PURPOSE

The aim of the presented study was to evaluate the differences between selected biochemical markers in infants with moderate or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and their impact on patient prognosis.

METHODS

A total of 57 cooled newborns were divided into groups according to Sarnat staging of HIE (A, moderate vs. B, severe). The differences between groups were evaluated depending on the mode of delivery, pregnancy and labor complications, gestational age at birth, birth weight, and Apgar score at 1.3 and 5 min. The differences in biochemical biomarkers of HIE (pH, base excess, serum lactate) as well as biomarkers of hepatic injury (aspartate transaminase, (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT)), kidney failure (creatinine, urea), myocardial injury (troponin T (TnT)), levels of fibrinogen, and platelet counts were also examined. Univariate Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analyses.

RESULTS

The biomarker levels in severe HIE newborns compared with moderate were as follows: pH (7.10 vs. 6.99), serum lactate (22.50 vs. 17.00 mg/dL), AST (109.50 vs. 270.55 IU/L), ALT (27.30 vs. 108.05 IU/L), PT (17.00 vs. 44.20 s), APTT (47.75 vs. 47.90 s), TnT (0.22 vs. 0.85 ng/mL), creatinine (0.68 vs. 1.15 mg/dL), urea (44.55 vs. 73.30 mg/dL), and fibrinogen (1.65 vs. 1.90 mg/dL). Survival analyses showed significantly reduced survival for severe HIE infants (75%) vs. moderate HIE (100%).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the severity of HIE can be evaluated based on selected markers; however, their levels do not correspond with future prognosis of newborns.

Troponin T correlates with MRI results in neonatal encephalopathy

AIM

Troponin is a sensitive marker of asphyxia in term infants mirroring the myocardial injury sustained in global hypoxia-ischaemia. In addition, troponin is a sensitive marker of severity of stroke in adults and neonatal encephalopathy (NE). We aimed to examine the relationship between troponin T in infants with perinatal asphyxia and brain injury on MRI and correlate with neurodevelopmental outcome.

METHODS

Serum troponin was sampled in infants requiring resuscitation at birth and/or neonatal encephalopathy in a tertiary referral neonatal centre. Birth history, clinical parameters, neuroimaging and developmental outcome (Bayley Scores of Infant Development [BSID] III) were evaluated.

RESULTS

Infants with perinatal asphyxia (n = 54) had serum troponin T measured and 27 required therapeutic hypothermia. Troponin T levels on days 1 and 2 were predictive of need for TH, development of seizures and grade II/III NE (AUC = 0.7; P-values < .001), troponin T levels on days 1, 2 and 3 were highly significant predictors of mortality (AUC = 0.99, P-values .005). The cut-off values of troponin T for best prediction of mortality were 0.84, 0.63 and 0.58 ng/mL on days 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Troponin T on day 3 of life was predictive of injury in the combined area of basal ganglia/watershed on MRI (AUC 0.70; P-value = .045).

CONCLUSION

Infants with brain injury on neuroimaging following perinatal asphyxia had significantly elevated serum troponin, and troponin also correlated with developmental scores at 2 years. Further studies combining troponin and MRI may assist in the classification of neonatal brain injury to define aetiology, prognosis and response to treatment.

Lessons learned from proteome analysis of perinatal neurovascular pathologies

INTRODUCTION

Perinatal and pediatric diseases related to neurovascular disorders cause significant problems during life, affecting a population with a long life expectancy. Early diagnosis and assessment of the severity of these diseases are crucial to establish an appropriate neuroprotective treatment. Currently, physical examination, neuroimaging and clinical judgment are the main tools for diagnosis, although these tests have certain limitations. There is growing interest in the potential value of noninvasive biomarkers that can be used to monitor child patients at risk of brain damage, allowing accurate, and reproducible measurements.

AREAS COVERED

This review describes potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of perinatal neurovascular diseases and discusses the possibilities they open for the classification and treatment of neonatal neurovascular diseases.

EXPERT OPINION

Although high rates of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke exist in pediatric populations, most studies have focused on biomarkers of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Inflammatory and neuronal biomarkers such as S-100B and GFAP, in combination with others yet to be discovered, could be considered as part of multiplex panels to diagnose these diseases and potentially for monitoring response to treatments. Ideally, noninvasive biofluids would be the best source for evaluating these biomarkers in proteomic assays in perinatal patients.

Management of Multi Organ Dysfunction in Neonatal Encephalopathy

Neonatal Encephalopathy (NE) describes neonates with disturbed neurological function in the first post-natal days of life. NE is an overall term that does not specify the etiology of the encephalopathy although it often involves hypoxia-ischaemia. In NE, although neurological dysfunction is part of the injury and is most predictive of long-term outcome, these infants may also have multiorgan injury and compromise, which further contribute to neurological impairment and long-term morbidities. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is the standard of care for moderate to severe NE. Infants with NE may have co-existing immune, respiratory, endocrine, renal, hepatic, and cardiac dysfunction that require individualized management and can be impacted by TH. Non-neurological organ dysfunction not only has a negative effect on long term outcome but may also influence the efficacy of treatments in the acute phase. Post resuscitative care involves stabilization and decisions regarding TH and management of multi-organ dysfunction. This management includes detailed neurological assessment, cardio-respiratory stabilization, glycaemic and fluid control, sepsis evaluation and antibiotics, seizure identification, and monitoring and responding to biochemical and coagulation derangements. The emergence of new biomarkers of specific organ injury may have predictive value and improve the definition of organ injury and prognosis. Further evidence-based research is needed to optimize management of NE, prevent further organ dysfunction and reduce neurodevelopmental impairment.

Tubular and Glomerular Biomarkers of Acute Kidney Injury in Newborns

BACKGROUND

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a sudden decrease in kidney function. In the early period, the highest percentage of AKI occurs among newborns hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care units, especially premature neonates. The prognosis of AKI depends on the type and severity of the cause of an injury, the accuracy and the time of diagnosis and treatment. The concentration of serum creatinine is still the main diagnostic test, although it changes in the course of AKI later than glomerular filtration rate GFR. In addition, the reliability of the determination of creatinine level is limited because it depends on many factors. New studies have presented other, more useful laboratory markers of renal function that can be measured in serum and/or in urine.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the work was to present the latest data about tubular and glomerular biomarkers of acute kidney injury in newborns.

METHODS

We undertook a structured search of bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research literature by using focused review topics. According to the conceptual framework, the main idea of research literature has been summarized and presented in this study.

RESULTS

The concentrations of some novel biomarkers are higher in serum and/or urine of term and preterm newborns with AKI, especially in the course of perinatal asphyxia.

CONCLUSION

In this systematic review of the literature, we have highlighted the usefulness of biomarkers in predicting tubular and/or glomerular injury in newborns. However, novel biomarkers need to prove their clinical applicability, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness prior to their implementation in clinical practice.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as predictor of acute kidney injury in neonates with perinatal asphyxia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

There is growing evidence that neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a promising biomarker of acute kidney injury. The objective of this meta-analysis is to determine the accuracy of serum and urinary NGAL in the detection of acute kidney injury in neonates with perinatal asphyxia. Medline (1966-2018), Scopus (2004-2018), EMBASE (1980-2018), Clinicaltrials.gov (2008-2018), and Google Scholar (2004-2018) databases, along with the reference lists of the electronically retrieved articles, were systematically searched. Eleven studies were included, with a total number of 652 neonates. The summary sensitivity of serum NGAL was 0.818 (95% CI [0.668, 0.909]), the specificity 0.870 (95% CI [0.754, 0.936]), and the area under the curve 0.912. Regarding urinary NGAL, pooled sensitivity was calculated at 0.897 (95% CI [0.829, 0.940]), specificity at 0.729 (95% CI [0.561, 0.850]), and area under the curve at 0.899.

CONCLUSION

Serum and urinary NGAL represent candidate biomarkers with high performance in the prediction of acute kidney injury in newborns with perinatal asphyxia. Before NGAL can be widely used in clinical practice, future large prospective studies are needed to define the optimal cutoffs and accurately determine which levels are suggestive of post-asphyxial acute kidney injury. What is Known: • Acute kidney injury is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in perinatal asphyxia. • Current markers are insufficient in predicting post-asphyxial acute kidney injury. What is New: • Area under the curve for serum and urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin is 0.818 and 0.899, respectively. • Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin is a useful marker for detecting asphyxiated neonates at risk of developing acute kidney injury.

Is acute kidney injury a harbinger for chronic kidney disease?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Despite abundant evidence in adults, the relationship between acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unanswered in pediatrics. Obstacles to overcome include the challenges defining these entities and the lack of long-term follow-up studies. This review focuses on pediatric populations at high-risk for AKI, the evidence of the long-term effect of AKI on renal health, and biomarkers to detect renal disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

AKI in critically ill children and neonates is common and independently associated with adverse outcomes. Patients with diabetes and sickle cell disease along with neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis have been identified as high-risk for AKI. Preterm birth and neonates with AKI have signs of renal dysfunction early in childhood. Urinary biomarkers may identify AKI and CKD earlier than traditional biomarkers, but more work is necessary to determine their clinical utility. Promising technological advances including the ability to determine nephron number noninvasively will expand our ability to characterize the AKI to CKD transition.

SUMMARY

AKI is common and associated with poor outcomes. It is probable that AKI is a harbinger to CKD in pediatric populations. However, we currently lack the tools to definitely answer this question and more research is needed.

Severity of asphyxia is a covariate of phenobarbital clearance in newborns undergoing hypothermia

AIM

Phenobarbital (PB) pharmacokinetics (PK) in asphyxiated newborns show large variability, not only explained by hypothermia (HT). We evaluated potential relevant covariates of PK of PB in newborns treated with or without HT for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

METHODS

Clearance (CL), distribution volume (Vd) and elimination half-life (t_1/2) were calculated using one-compartment analysis. Covariates were clinical characteristics (weight, gestational age, hepatic, renal, and circulatory status), comedication and HIE severity [time to reach normal aEEG pattern (T_normaEEG), dichotomous, within 24 h] and asphyxia severity [severe aspyhxia = pH ≤7.1 + Apgar score ≤5 (5 min), dichotomous]. Student's t-test, two-way ANOVA, correlation and Pearson's chi-square test were used.

RESULTS

Forty newborns were included [14 non-HT; 26 HT with T_normaEEG <24 h in 14/26 (group_1-HT) and T_normaEEG ≥24 h in 12/26 (group_2-HT)]. Severe asphyxia was present in 26/40 [5/14 non-HT, 11/14 and 10/12 in both HT groups]. PB-CL, Vd and t_1/2 were similar between the non-HT and HT group. However, within the HT group, PB-CL was significantly different between group_1-HT and group_2-HT (p = .043). ANOVA showed that HT (p = .034) and severity of asphyxia (p = .038) reduced PB-CL (-50%).

CONCLUSION

The interaction of severity of asphyxia and HT is associated with a clinical relevant reduced PB-CL, suggesting the potential relevance of disease characteristics beyond HT itself.