Biomaterial Database

Asymptomatic hyperammonemia in low birthweight infants. 1978

M L Batshaw, and S W Bursilow

At 0-3 days of age the plasma ammonium concentration in full term appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants was (mean +/- SEM) 27.5 +/- 0.5 micron; a value similar to that reported in adults. Ammonium levels in low birthweight AGA and SGA groups were 47.0 +/- 2.0 micron and 45.1 +/- 3.3 micron respectively; significantly elevated (P less than 0.001) as compared to the full term group. These increased ammonium levels persisted at 3-5 weeks of age. Associated with the hyperammonemia was a significant (P less than 0.01) decrease in plasma alpha-ketoglutarate concentration: 11.8 +/- 1.0 micron, in the low birthweight AGA as compared to 20.7 +/- 0.6 micron in the full term AGA infants. There was an inverse linear correlation between plasma concentrations of ammonium and alpha-ketoglutarate r = -0.86, P less than 0.001. Urinary orotate excretion was significantly elevated (P less than 0.05) in low birthweight AGA infants. There was no difference in the plasma concentrations of glutamine, glutamate, or alanine among the various groups. Hyperammonemia was not associated with neurologic dysfunction.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007230	Infant, Low Birth Weight	An infant having a birth weight of 2500 gm. (5.5 lb.) or less but INFANT, VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT is available for infants having a birth weight of 1500 grams (3.3 lb.) or less.	Low Birth Weight,Low-Birth-Weight Infant,Birth Weight, Low,Birth Weights, Low,Infant, Low-Birth-Weight,Infants, Low-Birth-Weight,Low Birth Weight Infant,Low Birth Weights,Low-Birth-Weight Infants
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007232	Infant, Newborn, Diseases	Diseases of newborn infants present at birth (congenital) or developing within the first month of birth. It does not include hereditary diseases not manifesting at birth or within the first 30 days of life nor does it include inborn errors of metabolism. Both HEREDITARY DISEASES and METABOLISM, INBORN ERRORS are available as general concepts.	Neonatal Diseases,Disease, Neonatal,Diseases, Neonatal,Neonatal Disease
D007236	Infant, Small for Gestational Age	An infant having a birth weight lower than expected for its gestational age.
D007656	Ketoglutaric Acids	A family of compounds containing an oxo group with the general structure of 1,5-pentanedioic acid. (From Lehninger, Principles of Biochemistry, 1982, p442)	Oxoglutarates,2-Ketoglutarate,2-Ketoglutaric Acid,2-Oxoglutarate,2-Oxoglutaric Acid,Calcium Ketoglutarate,Calcium alpha-Ketoglutarate,Ketoglutaric Acid,Oxogluric Acid,alpha-Ketoglutarate,alpha-Ketoglutaric Acid,alpha-Ketoglutaric Acid, Calcium Salt (2:1),alpha-Ketoglutaric Acid, Diammonium Salt,alpha-Ketoglutaric Acid, Dipotassium Salt,alpha-Ketoglutaric Acid, Disodium Salt,alpha-Ketoglutaric Acid, Monopotassium Salt,alpha-Ketoglutaric Acid, Monosodium Salt,alpha-Ketoglutaric Acid, Potassium Salt,alpha-Ketoglutaric Acid, Sodium Salt,alpha-Oxoglutarate,2 Ketoglutarate,2 Ketoglutaric Acid,2 Oxoglutarate,2 Oxoglutaric Acid,Calcium alpha Ketoglutarate,alpha Ketoglutarate,alpha Ketoglutaric Acid,alpha Ketoglutaric Acid, Diammonium Salt,alpha Ketoglutaric Acid, Dipotassium Salt,alpha Ketoglutaric Acid, Disodium Salt,alpha Ketoglutaric Acid, Monopotassium Salt,alpha Ketoglutaric Acid, Monosodium Salt,alpha Ketoglutaric Acid, Potassium Salt,alpha Ketoglutaric Acid, Sodium Salt,alpha Oxoglutarate,alpha-Ketoglutarate, Calcium
D008297	Male		Males
D009963	Orotic Acid	An intermediate product in PYRIMIDINE synthesis which plays a role in chemical conversions between DIHYDROFOLATE and TETRAHYDROFOLATE.	Potassium Orotate,Sodium Orotate,Zinc Orotate,Acid, Orotic,Orotate, Potassium,Orotate, Sodium,Orotate, Zinc
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000641	Ammonia	A colorless alkaline gas. It is formed in the body during decomposition of organic materials during a large number of metabolically important reactions. Note that the aqueous form of ammonia is referred to as AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE.