Author(s): A. Manoj, K. Ramachandra Rao, B.Vishnu Bhat, C. Venkatesh,Zachariah Bobby
This study was conducted to determine the level of DNA damage in perinatal asphyxia us-ing micronucleus(MN) assay and correlate with severity of asphyxia. Eighty term asphyxi-ated and sixty term non-asphyxiated neonates were enrolled in this case /control study. Blood samples were collected within 24 hours of birth for micronucleus assay and estima-tion of serum malondealdehyde (MDA). Micronucleus score was correlated with severity of asphyxia and serum MDA level. There was a significant difference of micronucleus (MN) score and serum MDA level in cases and controls (p value <0.0001). Among babies in vari-ous hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy ( HIE) stages the micronucleus score significantly in-creased with severity of asphyxia (p value <0.0001).There was a significant correlation be-tween Apgar score, HIE stages, seizures , micronucleus score and serum MDA level (p value <0.0001). Micronucleus score and serum MDA level correlated well with severity of asphyxia