Antioxidant Capacity of Preterm Neonates Assessed by Hydrogen Donor Value

Background and objectives: Premature newborns have a number of oxidative stress-inducing disorders. Antioxidant defense is deficient in premature newborns. Hydrogen donors can be used to evaluate the non-enzymatic antioxidant defense. By measuring hydrogen donors, a group of antioxidants can be assessed: tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and glutathione. These represent the most relevant group of non-enzymatic antioxidants. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the non-enzymatic antioxidant defense capacity of premature newborns by measuring hydrogen donors. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity by hydrogen donor measurement in 24 premature newborns with various oxidative stress-inducing disorders and in 14 premature newborns without oxidative stress-inducing conditions. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistica program (v. 8, StatSoft, Round Rock, TX, USA). Differences between groups were tested with Wilcoxon matched test for quantitative paired data or Mann–Whitney test for quantitative independent data. The Z test for proportions was used to compare qualitative data among subgroups. Results: Hydrogen donors in the study group had a significantly lower value on the first day of life compared to the value of the control group. Also, the hydrogen donor value in the study group was significantly lower on the first day compared to the third day of life (p < 0.05). Neonates with mild respiratory distress (14 cases) had increased hydrogen donor values on their third day of life compared to the first day of life. Conclusions: The antioxidant capacity is influenced by oxidative stress-inducing disorders. Respiratory distress influenced the hydrogen donor value and antioxidant defense. Antioxidant defense gradually improves after birth according to gestational age

Association Analysis of the Cerebral Fractional Tissue Oxygen Extraction (cFTOE) and the Cerebral Oxygen Saturation (crSaO₂) with Perinatal Factors in Preterm Neonates: A Single Centre Study

(1) Background: Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive, easily performed method of monitoring brain oxygenation. The regional cerebral oxygen saturation (crSaO2) and the cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction (cFTOE) evaluated by NIRS provide more accurate information on brain oxygenation than the blood oxygen saturation. We investigated the effect of perinatal factors on cerebral oxygenation of preterm newborns. (2) Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study with 48 preterm newborns 2 was measured and cFTOE was calculated foreach patient. (3) Results: One-way ANOVA showed no significant main effect of IVH severity on crSaO2 and cFTOE (p > 0.05); there was a tendency toward statistical significance concerning the difference between the means of crSaO2 (p = 0.083) and cFTOE (p = 0.098). Patients with intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) had a lower mean of crSaO2 and a higher mean of cFTOE (59.67 ± 10.37% vs. 64.92 ± 10.16% for crSaO2; 0.37 ± 0.11 vs. 0.32 ± 0.11 for cFTOE) compared to those with no IVH. Significantly lower values of crSaO2 and higher values of cFTOE were found in neonates receiving inotropic treatment (p p = 0.0026). No significant association between the maternal hypertension treatment and the cerebral oxygenation of preterms was found. (4) Conclusions: This study showed a decreased cerebral oxygen saturation of preterms with IVH, inotrope support and apnoea episodes

Is it possible to use the Toll-like receptors as biomarkers for neonatal sepsis? Review of the recent literature

Background. Sepsis continues to be one of the main death causes in the neonate population. The toll-like receptors are molecules that express in the plasma or endosomal membrane and recognize endosomal or microorganism components. While aiming at the identification of new neonatal sepsis biomarkers, the toll-like receptors (TLR) have been considered that some of them overexpress in contact with the bacterial components. Methods. Research in the PubMed database has been made by the following criteria: Inclusion criteria (PubMed database, Period 2005-2022, English & Humans, generated 29, Meta-Analysis - 0, Review - 6, Systematic Review - 0), Exclusion criteria (Studies on animal models, Articles with merely didactical content, Articles regarding only one of the words researched either only neonatal sepsis or TLR in another context than together, Articles that are not directly connected with the topic). Based on the above-mentioned criteria 13 articles were consulted, of which 7 articles included in vivo studies, 6 with in vitro studies. Conclusions. The data of the present review and the current diagnostic method point at the fact that TLRs increase in the conditions of the presence of the inflammatory syndrome. Their dosing during in the neonatal sepsis is possible, but the non-specific overexpression is not a diagnostic

Early Preeclampsia Effect on Preterm Newborns Outcome

Background: An early form of preeclampsia is rare. Abnormal placentation, placental perfusion disorders, and inflammatory cytokine release will have an effect on the fetus and newborn. Material and methods: The study group consisted of preterm newborns whose mothers had a history of preeclampsia and a gestational age of between 30 weeks and 34 weeks + 6 days. The control group consists of neonates matched for gestational age with the case group, whose mothers had normal blood pressure. The incidence and severity of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), intraventricular hemorrhage, hypoglycemia, pH gas changes, and hematological parameters were analyzed in the two groups. Results: The study group of preterm neonates had a lower birth weight than the control group (p p = 0.085). Neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were more frequent in preterm newborns exposed to preeclampsia. Conclusions: The study shows that early preeclampsia increases the risk of complications in preterm neonates. RDS was more frequent in the exposed group than in the control group. The severity of preeclampsia correlates with hematological changes