[Perinatal asphyxia, known topic, new diagnostic prospects--advisability of troponin T in perinatal medicine]

Abstract

Perinatal asphyxia is a major topic in neonatology. It has a high impact on neonatal mortality and morbidity and neurological and intellectual development of the infant. Hypoxia triggers compensatory mechanisms in the fetus and the newborn aimed to sustain adequate oxygen transport to the vital organs. Long periods of hypoxia and poor perfusion cause failure of mentioned compensative mechanisms and lead to irreversible damage in tissues. No clear-cut physiologic parameters exist which allow for an early identification of neonatal infants who are either at risk to develop brain damage or posthypoxic heart failure. In the above paper authors demonstrate new possibilities in diagnosis of perinatal asphyxia. They present cardiac troponin T, a thin filament contractile protein as a highly specific and sensitive marker of myocardial injury and hypoxia.