Pediatrics & Therapeutics
Open Access

Abstract

Analysis of Phosphorylated Neurofilament H Levels in a Low Birth Weight Infant with Posthemorrhagic Hydrocephalus: A Case Report

Mitsuo Motobayashi, Yuji Inaba, Mai Kusakari, Taemi Niimi, Naoko Shiba, Kanae Hirabayashi, Takafumi Nishimura, Takefumi Ishida, Masatomo Kitamura, Atsushi Baba, Yoshihiko Katsuyama and Kenichi Koike

Recent studies have reported on the phosphorylated forms of neurofilament H (pNf-H) in patients with brain damage, but not in preterm infants. This report presents the serial measurements of serum pNf-H from an Extremely Low Birth Weight Infant (ELBWI) who had neonatal seizures, Brainstem Release Phenomena (BRP), and Posthemorrhagic Hydrocephalus (PHHC). All pNf-H values in this patient (1.63- 3.92 ng/ml) were higher than those in age-matched control infants (n=19; 0.43 ± 0.51 ng/ml, mean ± SD) and displayed two peaks: the first on day 3 after birth was considered to be caused by birth asphyxia, while the second gradual peak was believed to correspond to the progression of the PHHC that caused BRP. Our results demonstrated that measurements of serum pNf-H were useful even in ELBWIs because they could closely reflect such forms of brain damage as PHHC and BRP.