title: Changes in plasma and urinary nitrite after birth in premature infants at risk for necrotizing enterocolitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plasma nitrite serves as a reservoir of nitric oxide (NO) bioactivity. Because nitrite ingestion is markedly lower in newborns than adults, we hypothesized plasma nitrite levels would be lower in newborns than in adults, and that infants diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a disease characterized by ischemia and bacterial invasion of intestinal walls, would have lower levels of circulating nitrite in the days prior to diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single blood and urine samples were collected from 9 term infants and 12 adults, 72 preterm infants every 5 d for 3 wk, and from 13 lambs before and after cord occlusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nitrite fell 50% relative to cord levels in the first day after birth; and within 15 min after cord occlusion in lambs. Urinary nitrite was higher in infants than adults. Plasma and urinary nitrite levels in infants who developed NEC were similar to those of preterm control infants on days 1 and 5, but significantly elevated at 15 and 20 d after birth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma nitrite falls dramatically at birth while newborn urinary nitrite levels are significantly greater than adults. Acute NEC is associated with elevated plasma and urinary nitrite levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Priti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Jesica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Biology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Douglas D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Deming
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Biology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Gordon G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California.|Center for Perinatal Biology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Arlin B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Blood
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide