Abstract
Recent studies on the mechanism of oxidative hemolysis demonstrate that erythrocytes exposed to oxidizing agents rapidly release intracellular iron promoting the conversion of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide into the very reactive hydroxyl radical in cells depleted of glutathione. Therefore intraerythrocyte reacting iron can be taken as a marker of oxidative stress. The aim of the present study is to ascertain the erythrocyte oxidative stress in the newborn infant. Fifty-eight healthy newborn infants, 31 born by vaginal delivery, 16 by elective caesarean and 11 by emergency caesarean section, age 26 to 42 weeks (26-28: n=4; 29-32: n=4; 33-37: n=12; 38-42: n=35) weight 700 to 4.250 g, were examined. All had an Apgar score of more than 8 at 1 min. Heparinized blood samples were drawn at birth from the umbilical vein and on 4th day of life from a peripheral vein. Free iron levels (nmol/ml) in erythrocytes were determined as desferrioxamine iron complex in ghost-free erythrocyte lysate by HPLC. Statistical analysis was performed by two-tailed “t” test and by linear correlation. Cord blood of full term newborns was found to have higher (but not significantly) free iron levels than adult blood (4.08 ± 3.7 vs 3.4 ± 0.06; mean ± SD). Conversely premature infants showed significantly higher free iron levels that adults (7.09 ± 3.06 vs 3.4 ± 0.06; p < 0.001) and infants at birth (7.09 ± 3.06 vs 4.08 ± 3.06; p < 0.05) and on 4th day of life (6.98 ± 8.89 vs 2.37 ± 1.54 p< 0.02). A significant correlation between intraerythrocyte free iron concentration and gestational age was observed at birth (r = 0.33, p = 0.04) and on 4th day of life (r = 0.45; p = 0.004). Red cells of premature infants are exposed to increased oxidative stress which may depend on extracellular as well as intracellular toxic species of oxygen. This data may be important for evaluating the risk of oxygen radical toxicity in the newborn.
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Buonocore, G., Ferrali, M., Berni, S. et al. 39 IRON RELEASE IN ERYTHROCYTES IN NEONATAL OXIDATIVE HEMOLYSIS. Pediatr Res 36, 9 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199407000-00039
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199407000-00039