title: Correlation of free oxygen radical-induced lipid peroxidation with outcome in very low birth weight infants.
abstract: Lipid peroxidation was measured in 19 very low birth weight infants with respiratory distress syndrome by quantitating ethane and pentane in expired air during the first 5 days postnatally. Despite high levels of inspiratory oxygen, the ethane and pentane output was low within the first 24 hours; thereafter it increased up to 100 and 30 fold, respectively. On days 1 to 3 there was no detectable correlation between lipid peroxidation and fractional inspiratory oxygen. However, on days 4 and 5, lipid peroxidation and fractional inspiratory oxygen showed a significant correlation. Maximal amounts of expired ethane and pentane were significantly higher for patients with a poor outcome (five deaths, six cases of bronchopulmonary dysplasia) than for those with good outcome (eight infants surviving intact) (p less than 0.01). The results imply a role for free oxygen radicals in the pathogenesis of life-threatening complications in the very low birth weight infant.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Pitkänen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hallman
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D004980:Ethane / Q000032:analysis; D005609:Free Radicals; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000378:metabolism*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010420:Pentanes / Q000032:analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism; D013147:Spirometry
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D010420:Pentanes; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; C033353:pentane; D004980:Ethane; D010100:Oxygen