Neuron-Specific Enolase: Reference Values in Cord Blood

Abstract

With foetal sonography prenatal detection of tumours has become more frequent. To evaluate and treat these infants it is necessary to identify the tumour postnatally. Elevated neuron-specific enolase is a biochemical marker of neuroblastoma. Since conditions during birth may influence neuron-specific enolase concentration in foetal serum, specific reference values in cord blood are required. Cord blood samples were taken from 192 healthy term newborns and concentration of neuron-specific enolase was measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Median neuron-specific enolase concentration in the reference group was 8.0 micrograms/l and the 5th-95th percentiles were 4.8-19.4 micrograms/l. No differences between male and female newborns were detected (p = 0.13). Measurement of neuron-specific enolase in cord blood, in comparison with our reference values, offers an early postnatal possibility of confirming the diagnosis of neuroblastoma.