To investigate the changes and correlations of serum and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)insulin-like growth factor-Ⅰ(IGF-Ⅰ)levels in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE)and to investigate its effects on HIE.

Both serum and CSF IGF-Ⅰ levels in 41 neonates with HIE and serum IGF-I levels in 10 normal neonates were measured by RIA at 12〜24 hrs and 10〜12 ds of life.

(1)During postnatal 12〜24 hrs, the serum IGF-I levels were 32. 94±8. 43ng/ml, 22. 56 ± 5. 51ng/ml and 15. 77 ± 3. 60ng/ml in mild, moderate and severe HIE groups, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in control group(79. 28±13. 28 ng/ml)(P<0. 01), and the more severe HIE was, the lower of IGF-I levels(P<0. 05).(2)During postnatal 10 to 12 days, the serum levels of IGF-Ⅰ in mild, moderate HIE and in severe HIE group who have no neurological symptoms or signs were significantly elevated compared with the HIE groups of postnatal 12 hrs -24hrs(P<0. 01)and there were no significant differences in the mild, moderate HIE(67. 22 ± 21. 52 ng/ml, 68.54±22. 88 ng/ml, respectively)and in severe HIE group who have no symptoms or signs(52. 58±14. 11 ng/ml)(P>0. 05). The CSF IGF-Ⅰ levels were 6. 18 ± 0. 87 ng/ml in mild, 5. 74 ± 0. 94 ng/ml in moderate and 5. 08 ± 0. 87 ng/ml in severe HIE group who have no neurological symptoms or signs respectively at postnatal 10-12days, which were significantly increased compared with their levels at postnatal 12〜24 hrs(4. 43±1. 16 ng/ml, 3.19 ± 0. 84ng/ml, 1.97 ± 0. 45ng/ml, respectively)(P<0. 01). However, there were no significant differences in serum and CSF IGF-Ⅰ levels between sever HIE group who have symptoms or signs at postnatal 10〜12ds and 12~24hrs groups(P>0. 05).(3)A positive correlation were shown between the serum and CSF IGF-Ⅰ levels in HIE groups(r= 0. 84, P<0. 05).

IGF-Ⅰ is an important neuroprotective factor and it's changes of levels in serum and in CSF might be associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of neonatal HIE.