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Background: Birth/Perinatal asphyxia is one of the common cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Morbidity and mortality in asphyxia depends on duration and severity of asphyxia. The present study was carried out to find out the correlation of APGAR score and cord blood pH with severity of birth asphyxia and short-term outcome.Methods: An observational hospital based prospective study was conducted at inborn NICU, of Medical College Hospital of Southern Rajasthan from March 2015 to September 2015. We enrolled total 50 inborn asphyxiated newborns as cases. The cord blood was collected immediately at delivery for measurement of cord blood arterial blood gas analysis including pH. All the enrolled cases were admitted in the NICU for treatment and observation for complication and immediate neurological outcome. All the admitted newborns were followed till discharge/death for final outcome. The correlation of APGAR score, cord blood pH and outcome was analysed statistically.Results: The mean APGAR score at 1 min, 5 min and mean cord blood pH in babies with HIE-I were 4.40±0.89, 6.80±0.45 and 7.21±0.11; HIE-II 3.70±0.67, 6.0±1.25 and 7.20±0.06; HIE-III 2.69±0.60, 3.56±0.8 and 7.03±0.11, respectively. Correlation coefficients of APGAR 1 min, 5 min and cord blood pH to predict the severity of birth asphyxia were -0.633, -0.666 and 0.624.Conclusions: Cord blood pH at birth in combination with APGAR score can be used to predict the severity of birth asphyxia and short-term outcome. APGAR score and cord blood pH are inversely related with the duration and severity asphyxia.

Neonatal lupus erythematosus is an uncommon passive autoimmune disease manifesting as cutaneous lupus lesions and/or congenital heart blocks with rare CNS involvement. A 2months old female infant admitted for respiratory illness was found to have neonatal lupus skin lesions, developed seizures during hospital stay without any metabolic cause or CNS infection. Mother had significantly raised anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB antibodies. As per classical description, the cutaneous lesions started to fade but the CNS involvement needs follow up. NLE should be suspected on the basis of cutaneous lesions even in absence of heart block and seizures may also rarely manifest.