Biochemical markers of neonatal hypoxia

Neonatal hypoxia is a clinical condition with detrimental biochemical and clinical outcomes, including production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, ATP depletion, developmental abnormalities and growth retardation. Diagnostic approaches for hypoxia are largely based on nonspecific clinical criteria, such as Apgar score, umbilical cord pH and fetal heart-rate monitoring. Since our understanding of the biochemical processes of hypoxia has improved, several biochemical markers have been developed. This article highlights the use of hypoxanthine, xanthine, uric acid, xanthine oxidase, malondialdehyde, nitrotyrosine and lactate as markers of hypoxia in animal models, preterm neonates and full-term neonates.