Fibrin-fibrinogen degradation products in cerebrospinal fluid as an indicator of neonatal brain damage.

The occurrence of brain damage in 57 full term neonates was investigated. The infants were submitted to a prospective protocol involving clinical (neurological and electroencephalographical) and biological examinations, including the determination of the fibrin-fibrinogen degradation products in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid on D1, D3, D8 and D15. Psychomotor events were followed up for a year. Traumatic lumbar taps did not disturb the results significantly. Blood samples were not found to contain noticeable amounts of FDP. Conversely, the existence of FDP in CSF was not infrequent near to delivery and was shown to be closely related to brain damage as evaluated by the psychomotor events.