ACTIVITY OF GLUTAMIC-OXALACETIC TRANSAMINASE AND LACTIC DEHYDROGENASE IN CEREBROSPINAL FLUID AND PLASMA OF NORMAL AND ABNORMAL NEWBORN INFANTS

The activity of the enzymes, glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase and lactic dehydrogenase, in the cerebrospinal fluid and plasma was studied in 54 normal full-term newborn infants from 2½ to 240 hours of age, and in 20 newborn infants suspected to have intracranial pathology. The normal range of activities of these enzymes in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma are described. In the infants with suspected intracranial pathology, the average glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase activity of cerebrospinal fluid was 82% higher than in the normal newborn infant, and plasma glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase activity, had an 18% mean increase over normal. In the cerebrospinal fluid of the abnormal infants, lactic dehydrogenase activity had a mean increase of 309% over normal, and plasma lactic dehydrogenase activity revealed an increase of 11% over normal. Enzyme determinations in cerebrospinal fluid, particularly lactic dehydrogenase, may be useful in the study of newborn infants suspected of intracranial pathology.