Abstract
Low concentration of antioxidants are found in premature babies, increasing the risk of oxidant injury. Caeruloplasmin (CP) is a powerful plasma antioxidant and transferrin (TF) may be 100% saturated.
Serum ferritin, CP and TF in preterm babies (24-32 wks) were correlated with complications of prematurity.
CP on day 1 was 0.04 μmol/l (range 0.01-0.25). In 9 babies with ROP CP was 0.08 μaol/l (0.05-0.11) on day 7 and in 41 babies without ROP 0.10 μmol/l (0.02-0.17) (p<0.02). In 16 babies with BPD, the day 7 CP was 0.08 (0.02-0.18) and in 53 without BPD, 0.10 (0.02-0.17) (p=0.06).
Ferritin on day 7 was significantly higher in the BPD group (17) median 270 gm/l (139-> 500) vs 153 (45-> 500) (p=0.001) and higher in the ROP group (10) 216 (139-305) vs 164 (45-> 500) (p>0.1). Transferrin was gestation dependent and was significantly lower on day 1 and 7 in babies with ROP and BPD.
Low concentrations of CP and TF are associated with ROP and BPD. Raised Ferritin could be due to greater availability of iron (blood transfusion or haemolysis). Detection of free iron would substantiate the hypothesis that ferrous iron promotes oxidant injury.
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Russell, G., Cooke, R. IRON ASSOCIATED ANTIOXIDANTS IN COMPLICATIONS OF PREMATURITY. Pediatr Res 32, 615 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199211000-00062
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199211000-00062