title: May oxidative stress biomarkers in cord blood predict the occurrence of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oxidative stress (OS) is strongly involved in the pathogenesis of many preterm newborn diseases; this is due to the low efficiency of neonatal antioxidant systems unable to counteract the harmful effects of free radicals (FRs). Hypoxic-ischemic events and inflammation, involved in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) pathogenesis, are responsible of the overproduction of FRs, generating OS.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypotesis that OS markers levels in cord blood may early identify the newborns at high risk to develop NEC.
  
  
  METHODS
  332 preterm newborns of gestational age (GA) between 24 and 33 week and birth weight (BW) between 460 and 2540 g were consecutively recruited in three european neonatal intensive care units. Markers of potential OS risk: non-protein bound iron (NPBI), and markers of FRs damage: advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and total hydroperoxides (TH), were measured in the cord blood. Associations between NEC and OS markers were checked through inferential analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 332 preterm babies, 29 developed NEC. Babies with NEC had a BW and a GA significantly lower than healthy babies. AOPP, TH and NPBI cord blood levels were significantly higher in babies with NEC than in babies without (respectively mean AOPP = 28.05 ± 21 vs 15.80 ± 7.14; p < 0.05; TH = 154.48 ± 84.67 vs 107.40 ± 61.01; p < 0.05; NPBI = 2.21 ± 3.98 vs 0.95 ± 1.59; p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The determination of OS biomarkers in cord blood can be useful in identifying babies at high risk for NEC and in devising new strategies to ameliorate perinatal outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. saraspv@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Serafina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perrone
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tataranno
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Negro
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cornacchione
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Longini
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Proietti
authors.forename: Vasso
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Soubasi
authors.forename: Manon J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Benders
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Bel
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buonocore
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers