Elevation of Plasma Concentrations of Arginine Vasopressin Following Perinatal Asphyxia

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Abstract
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is a major cause of mortality in neonates. Studies in experimental subjects have shown differing responses of plasma arginine vasopressin to hypoxia. Plasma arginine vasopressin levels, serum osmolality, urine osmolality and fluid intakes were measured in 13 asphyxiated and 19 control newborn infants during the first 72 h of life. In the asphyxiated infants plasma arginine vasopressin was found to be elevated as compared to control infants on days 1 (P < 0.001) and 2 (P < 0.007) but not on day 3 of life. Urine osmolality was also elevated in the study patients on days 1 (P < 0.01) and 2 (P < 0.001) but not on day 3, in spite of equal intakes of fluid on day 1 in both groups and significantly diminished fluid intake on days 2 and 3 in the study patients. Serum osmolality was not different between the 2 groups on any day studied, and was felt to be on the basis of diminished intake in the study infants. Arginine vasopressin release apparently occurs following perinatal asphyxia in term newborn infants.