title: Assessment of fetal antioxidant and oxidant status during different anesthesia techniques for elective cesarean sections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to investigate the effects of general, spinal and epidural anesthesia on fetal total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) during elective cesarean section in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven parturients scheduled for elective cesarean section were randomly allocated into three groups: Group spinal (n = 15), group epidural (n = 17), and group general (n = 15), This prospective randomized study was performed in Faculty of Medicine, Turgut Ozal University, Turkey. After the baby was delivered; TAS, TOS levels, and arterial blood gases parameters were analyzed in an umbilical arterial blood sample. OSI values are calculated by a ratio of TOS to the TAS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of TAS and TOS in umbilical arterial blood sample were not statistically different among three. However, OSI values were significantly different among the three groups (P = 0.042). Median OSI values is 24 (interquartile range [IQR], 2-37) in group spinal, 19 (IQR, 4-44) in group epidural, and 8 (IQR, 4-36) in group general. There was no significant difference in OSI values in the comparison of group spinal with group general and group epidural, but it was significantly lower in group general when compared with group epidural with Bonferroni correction (P = 0.017). Umbilical cord arterial blood gas values (pH, PaCO2, PaO2, SaO2, HCO3, and CtO2), glucose, lactate, and hemoglobin levels were similar in three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General anesthesia may be more favorable than epidural in those undergoing cesarean section when fetal oxidative status gains importance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Turgut Ozal University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Safinaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karabayırlı
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Turgut Ozal University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esra Aktepe
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Keskin
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, SanlıurfaTraining and Research Hospital, Sanlıurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cemile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koca
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozcan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erel
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Turgut Ozal University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ruveyda Irem
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Demircioglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Turgut Ozal University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bunyamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Muslu
keywords: Anesthesia; cesarean section; oxidative stress