Background: Although oxidative stress-related diseases mostly affect neonates with extremely low birthweight, healthy preterm and term newborns may also be at risk of oxidative damage. There have been studies concerning factors that affect the level of oxidative stress biomarkers in term and preterm neonates, but there has not been a study of the reference values of oxidative stress biomarkers in healthy newborns having no risk factors. The aim of the present study was to clarify this issue.
Methods: Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS) were assessed by Erel's method. TAC and TOS values were measured in 100 term infants, 57 boys and 43 girls, with a mean gestational age of 39 weeks and a mean birthweight of 3174 g.
Results: All blood samples for TAC and TOS were taken on the fifth day. The median TAC and TOS values for all male and female neonates were 1.92 mmol Trolox equivalent/L (min-max; 1.41-2.09) and 12.93 μmol H2O2/L (min-max: 3.01-53.94), respectively. TAC and TOS values were not statistically different in male and female newborns. TAC and TOS values were not statistically different in newborns who had been delivered via a vaginal route or by cesarean section.
Conclusion: This study can be used as a guide for the reference range of TAC and TOS values for healthy term newborns.
Keywords: antioxidant capacity; newborn; oxidative stress; term.
© 2013 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2013 Japan Pediatric Society.