Lactate: creatinine ratio in babies with thin meconium staining of amniotic fluid

BMC Pediatrics

Table 1 Characteristics of newborns in the study: 27 newborns with thin MSAF, 25 newborns with thick MSAF and 42 controls

Characteristic	Normal infants	Infants with MSAF (n = 52)
	(n = 42)	Thin (n = 27)	Thick (n = 25)	p- Value^$
Birth weight (±SD)	2885.7 ± 374 g	2767.0 ± 289.9 g	2654.8 ± 311 g^@	0.03
Gestational Age (±SD)	40 Wks ± 1.57 Wk	39 Wks ± 2.0 Wks	39 Wks ± 2.0 Wks	0.96
Sex
Male	18 (42.9%)	19 (70.4%)	13 (52.0%)
Female	24 (57.1%)	8 (29.6%)	12 (48.0%)	0.08
Apgar Score
>6 at 5 min	42 (100.0%)	25 (92.5%)	22 (88.0%)
<6 AT 5 min	0 (0.0%)	2 (7.4%)	3 (12.0%)	0.07
Maternal problems
None	38 (90.5%)	25 (92.6%)	13 (52.0%)
Significant maternal problems*	4 (10.0%)	2 (7.4%)	12 (48.0%)^@	<0.01
Mode of Delivery
Normal vaginal delivery	39 (92.9%)	18 (66.7%)	16 (64.0%)
Forceps Delivery	3 (7.1%)	4 (14.8%)	3 (12.0%)
Caesarian section	0 (0.0%)	5 (18.5%)	6 (24.0%)^@	<0.01
Postnatal problems
None	42 (100%)	23 (85.2%)	18 (72.0%)
Other problems**	0 (0.0%)	4 (14.8%)	7 (28.0%)^@	0.001
Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
No	42 (100%)	25 (92.6%)	23 (92.0%)
Yes	0 (0.0)%	2 (7.4%)	2 (8.0%)	0.12

*Thick MSAF babies had significantly more antenatal problems – 3 cases of maternal hypertension, 2 cases of gestational diabetes, 3 cases of fetal heart rate abnormality (FHRT), 2 cases of breech delivery, and one case each of cephalopelvic disproportion, and intrauterine growth retardation. Thin MSAF Babies had fewer problems in the mothers with two cases of hypertension of which one mother also had cephalopelvic disproportion.
**2 children born through Thin MSAF developed Group B Streptococcal septicaemia,2 developed respiratory distress attributable to aspiration pneumonia, and one child developed hyperbilirubinaemia requiring phototherapy. In the Thick MSAF Group, 4 developed respiratory distress attributable to aspiration pneumonia, 2 developed hyperbilirubinaemia requiring phototherapy and one child had congenital heart disease.
$ Based on One-Way ANOVA/Fisher's Exact test
@Significant difference of thick MSAF group in comparison to controls.

ISSN: 1471-2431