Red cell creatine in term and preterm, adequate and small for gestational age newborns after normal pregnancy or risk conditions. II. Mathematical analysis of 12 risk conditions in relation to the creatine level at birth.

Univariate and multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant analysis were performed on newborns with respect to the level of red cell creatine at birth (cord blood) and 12 risk conditions occurring during the last trimester of gestation and birth. 111 of the 174 newborns studied had been at risk. The factor "small for gestational age" (SGA) showed to have a negative coefficient of discriminant function, i.e. it contributes to lower creatine values at birth. Other risks are shown to raise the creatine level. For "adequate for gestational age" (AGA) newborns "Rh-incompatibility", "toxoplasmosis", "premature and/or prolonged rupture of the membranes", "complications of the umbilical cord" and - to a minor degree - "pyelonephritis of the mother", "threatened premature labour", and "toxemia of pregnancy" were shown to be significant risks leading towards high red cell creatine concentrations in cord blood. For the SGA infants "preterm birth", "threatened premature labour", "green amniotic fluid" and "toxemia of pregnancy" were the most important risks relating to high creatine levels of red cells at birth.