Abstract
Aim: Compare the levels of the brain injury biomarkers Tau and neurofilament light protein (NFL) in cases of asphyxia with those in controls.
Materials and methods: We analyzed the neuronal proteins Tau and NFL in umbilical blood of 10 cases of severe-moderate intrapartum asphyxia and in 18 control cases.
Results: The levels of both Tau and neurofilament were significantly higher after asphyxia and it appeared to be a correlation between the levels of the biomarkers and the severity of the insult.
Discussion: Future studies are warranted to support or refute the value of Tau/NFLin clinical practice.
Conclusion: Fetal asphyxia remains a clinical problem resulting in life-long neurological disabilities. We urgently need more accurate early predictive markers to direct the clinician when to provide neuroprotective therapy.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Funding
We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health and financial support from Welcome Trust [WT094823], the Swedish Medical Research Council [VR 2015-02493; 2013–2546], Governmental Grants to University Hospitals in Sweden [ALFGBG-426401, ALFGBG-441051], Action Medical Research, ERA-net [EU; VR 529-2014-7551], the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (HZ is a Wallenberg Academy Fellow), Hjärnfonden [Brain Foundation 2015-0004], the Leducq Foundation [DSRRP34404] and the Wilhelm and Martina Lundgren Foundation, to enable this study to be completed. In addition, the authors acknowledge financial support from the Department of Health via the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) comprehensive Biomedical Research Center Award to Guy’s & St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with King’s College London and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
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