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Updated: Aug 21, 2026
Biochemical Measurement of Neonatal Hypoxia
Published on: August 24, 2011
Oxidant and antioxidant levels in preterm newborns with idiopathic hyperbilirubinaemia
M Turgut1, O Başaran, M Cekmen
1Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey. naksaray@cu.edu.tr
Insights
Preterm infants with jaundice have higher nitric oxide levels and lower levels of antioxidant vitamins and enzymes. This suggests that reduced antioxidants may contribute to hyperbilirubinaemia in premature newborns.
Area of Science:
- Neonatalogy
- Biochemistry
- Pediatric Oxidative Stress
Background:
- Newborns, especially preterm infants, possess limited antioxidant defenses against reactive oxygen species.
- Key components of the antioxidant system include vitamins A, E, C, selenium, and enzymes like catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase.
- These components are crucial for protecting erythrocyte cellular membranes from oxidative injury.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare oxidant (nitric oxide) and antioxidant status in preterm infants with and without hyperbilirubinaemia.
- To evaluate plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins (A, E, C) and selenium.
- To assess the activity of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GSH-Px) in relation to hyperbilirubinaemia.
Main Methods:
- A study group of 20 preterm infants with newborn jaundice was compared to a control group of 15 healthy preterm infants.
- Plasma levels of total nitrite (as an indicator of nitric oxide), bilirubin, vitamins A, E, C, and selenium were measured.
- Activity of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GSH-Px) was evaluated.
Main Results:
- Preterm infants with hyperbilirubinaemia exhibited significantly higher plasma total nitrite and bilirubin levels.
- Conversely, the study group showed significantly lower plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins A, E, C, and selenium.
- Activity of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GSH-Px) was also significantly lower in infants with hyperbilirubinaemia.
Conclusions:
- Low levels of antioxidants in preterm infants may predispose them to increased oxidative stress.
- This oxidative stress is hypothesized to be a contributing factor in the development of hyperbilirubinaemia.
- Findings highlight the critical role of antioxidant capacity in neonatal jaundice.
Objectives:
Newborns, particularly preterm infants, have limited antioxidant protective capacity. The organism's defence system against reactive oxygen species including vitamins A, E and C, trace element selenium (Se) and enzymes, such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) are essential components of the antioxidant system against the oxidative injury to the cellular membranes of erythrocytes. In this study, our aim was to compare the oxidant nitric oxide (total plasma nitrite level as an indicator of nitric oxide (NO)), antioxidant vitamins and selenium and erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes in premature babies with hyperbilirubinaemia with healthy preterms.
Methods:
Twenty preterm infants with newborn jaundice were included in the study group, while 15 preterm infants without jaundice were enrolled in the control group. We evaluated the mean plasma levels of, respectively, the total nitrite as an indicator of NO, bilirubin, vitamins A, E, C and selenium, and the activity of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes such as CAT, SOD and GSH-Px of preterm infants with idiopathic hyperbilirubinaemia and compared to those of the control group.
Results:
The mean plasma total nitrite and total serum bilirubin levels and blood reticulocyte counts of the study group were found to be significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, the activity of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes (all P < 0.001) and the mean plasma levels of the antioxidant vitamins A, E, and C (P < 0.05, P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) and selenium (P < 0.001) of the study group were all found to be significantly lower than those of the control group.
Conclusion:
We hypothesize that low antioxidants in pretem babies may predispose them to increased oxidative stress, and cause hyperbilirubinaemia.
