Ubiquitin C-Terminal Hydrolase 1 and Phosphorylated Axonal Neurofilament Heavy Chain in Infants Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: Preliminary Assessment as Potential Biomarkers of Brain Injury.

Background: There are no reliable markers to assess brain injury in neonates following cardiac surgery. We examine ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase 1 (UCHL1) and phosphorylated axonal neurofilament heavy chain (pNF-H), neuronal-specific biomarkers released following axonal and cortical injury, in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA).

Methods: Twenty-six patients younger than three months were prospectively enrolled (CPB only, n = 12 and DHCA, n = 14).