title: Free-radical-induced lipid peroxidation during the early neonatal period.
abstract: The effect of gestational age on postnatal free-radical-mediated lipid peroxidation was studied in 19 term (gestational age 37-42 weeks) and 21 healthy preterm (gestational age 31-36 weeks) infants by measurement of expired ethane and pentane during the first 7 days of life. Ethane (11.9 versus 5.7 pmol/kg/min; p = 0.0001) and pentane (11.4 versus 7.5 pmol/kg/min; p = 0.01) were significantly higher in preterm than in term infants. Correlations were found between gestational age and ethane (r = 0.60, p = 0.0001) for days 1-7 and pentane (r = 0.54, p = 0.0003) for days 3-7; and between birth weight and ethane (r = 0.58, p = 0.0001) and pentane (r = 0.55, p = 0.0003). These results indicate that during the postnatal period, immaturity is a major factor determining the rate of free-radial-mediated lipid peroxidation.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Varsila
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hallman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001724:Birth Weight; D001944:Breath Tests; D004980:Ethane / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005609:Free Radicals; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006932:Hyperbilirubinemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000378:metabolism*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D010420:Pentanes / Q000032:analysis; D010789:Phototherapy
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D010420:Pentanes; C033353:pentane; D004980:Ethane