title: Copper/zinc superoxide dismutase activity in newborns & young people in Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is evidence that reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of many paediatric disorders. We carried out this study to see whether superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was associated with age, sex and rural or urban status in three groups of Spanish people (newborns, children and young).
  
  
  METHODS
  SOD activity was measured in red blood cells in newborns, children and young Spanish people (n=1212, divided in six groups) using the Minami and Yoshikawa method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The newborns had high levels of SOD activity, but among all age groups studied, SOD showed the highest activity in groups 1 and 2. We also observed that this activity decreased gradually with age until achieving adult levels. No significant variations with respect to sex were detected, except for the >or=14 to 18 yr age group, in which SOD activity decreased significantly in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show that SOD activity in newborns, children and young Spanish people is affected by age but not by gender (except from >or=14-18 yr) or rural or urban status.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiopatología y Genética Molecular Humana, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid (España). acasado@cib.csic.es
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casado
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de la Torre
authors.forename: M Encarnación
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: López-Fernández
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013482:Superoxide Dismutase