Total glutathione is not decreased in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis.
BACKGROUND
Glutathione (GSH) is the major intracellular antioxidant protecting against free radical-mediated damage. Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and damage could be enhanced by a relative deficiency of GSH. We hypothesized that infants with NEC would have lower levels of erythrocyte GSH when compared with controls.


METHODS
Total erythrocyte GSH concentration (per gram of hemoglobin [g Hb]) was determined in blood samples from infants with NEC (n = 16) referred for surgical intervention. Nonseptic infants referred for other conditions (eg, patent ductus arteriosus ligation) served as controls (n = 10).


RESULTS
Controls and infants with NEC were demographically similar. Mean erythrocyte GSH concentration in infants with NEC was 0.076 +/- 0.004 micromol/g Hb and in controls it was 0.078 +/- 0.005 micromol/g Hb (P = .73). There was no significant correlation between GSH concentration and weight, gestational age, or C-reactive protein levels. In infants with NEC, there was no difference in GSH levels between infants with stage 2 and stage 3 diseases nor between those who died and survived, but a trend toward lower GSH levels in infants with more extensive diseases exists.


CONCLUSIONS
Total GSH levels are similar in infants with NEC and controls. It is possible that a relative rather than absolute deficiency of antioxidant compounds exists and may contribute to the development of NEC.
Hall
Nigel J
NJ
Department of Paediatric Surgery, Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, WC1N 1EH London, UK.
Ali
Jamal
J
Pierro
Agostino
A
Eaton
Simon
S
D001724:Birth Weight; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000097:blood; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005865:Gestational Age; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000097:blood; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005978:Glutathione