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Allopurinol may reduce brain damage in newborn infants caused by asphyxia during birth. Dutch researchers studied 11 infants treated with the drug and 11 infants who did not receive the drug (the control group) following severe lack of oxygen at birth. Two infants given allopurinol and six infants in the control group died after neurologic deterioration. Allopurinol reduced free radical formation, improved blood flow to the brain, and improved electrical brain activity. Allopurinol may reduce reperfusion injury after asphyxia., Objective. Free radical-induced postasphyxial reperfusion injury has been recognized as an important cause of brain tissue damage. We investigated the effect of high-dose allopurinol (ALLO; 40 mg/kg), a xanthine-oxidase inhibitor and free radical scavenger, on free radical status in severely asphyxiated newborns and on postasphyxial cerebral perfusion and electrical brain activity. Methods. Free radical status was assessed by serial plasma determination of nonprotein-bound iron ([micro]M), antioxidative capacity, and malondialdehyde (MDA; [micro]M). Cerebral perfusion was investigated by monitoring changes in cerebral blood volume ([Delta]CBV; mL/100 g brain tissue) with near infrared spectroscopy, electrocortical brain activity (ECBA) was assessed in microvolts by cerebral function monitor. Eleven infants received 40 mg/kg ALLO intravenously, and 11 infants served as controls (CONT). Plasma nonprotein-bound iron, antioxidative capacity, and MDA were measured before 4 hours, between 16 and 20 hours, and at the second and third days of age. Changes in CBV and ECBA were monitored between 4 and 8, 16 and 20, 58 and 62, and 104 and 110 hours of age. Results. Six CONT and two ALLO infants died after neurologic deterioration. No toxic side effects of ALLO were detected. Nonprotein-bound iron (mean [+ or -] SEM) in the CONT group showed an initial rise (18.7 [+ or -] 4.6 [micro]M to 21.3 [+ or -] 3.4 [micro]M) but dropped to 7.4 [+ or -] 3.5 [micro]M at day 3; in the ALLO group it dropped from 15.5 [+ or -] 4.6 [micro]M to 0 [micro]M at day 3. Uric acid was significantly lower in ALLO-treated infants from 16 hours of life on. MDA remained stable in the ALLO group, but increased in the CONT group at 8 to 16 hours versus [is less than]4 hours (mean [+ or -] SEM, 0.83 [+ or -] 0.31 [micro]M vs 0.50 [+ or -] 0.14 [micro]M). During 4 to 8 hours, [Delta]CBV-CONT showed a larger drop than [Delta]CBV-ALLO from baseline. During the subsequent registrations CBV remained stable in both groups. ECBA-CONT decreased, but ECBA-ALLO remained stable during 4 to 8 hours of age. Neonates who died had the largest drops in CBV and ECBA. Conclusion. This study suggests a beneficial effect of ALLO treatment on free radical formation, CBV, and electrical brain activity, without toxic side effects. Pediatrics 1998;101:185-193; birth asphyxia, allopurinol, side effects, free radicals, brain perfusion, electrical brain activity., ABBREVIATIONS. ALLO, allopurinol; CONT, control; NIRS, near-infrared spectroscopy; ECBA, electrocortical brain activity; AA/DHA, ascorbic acid/dehydroascorbic acid; TRAP, total peroxyl radical antioxidant trapping capacity; Hb, hemoglobin; [Delta]Hb[O.sub.2], changes in oxygenated hemoglobin; [...]