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The relationship between birth weight, oxidative stress and bone mineral status in newborn infants

Esad Koklu1, Mustafa Akcakus, Figen Narin

  • 1Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, Department of Biochemistry School of Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey. esad@erciyes.edu.tr

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
|September 15, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Oxidative stress markers in newborns and mothers were not linked to bone development. While superoxide dismutase levels differed between infant groups, overall oxidative status did not correlate with bone mineral density in these newborns.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Neonatology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Oxygen-derived free radicals, like superoxide anions, are implicated in osteoclast formation and activation.
  • Antioxidant defense systems often rely on or are micronutrients.
  • Oxidative stress may influence bone indices in newborn infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between oxidative status and bone indices in small-for-gestational-age (SGA), large-for-gestational-age (LGA), and appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) infants.
  • To examine oxidative status in both newborns and their mothers.

Main Methods:

  • Umbilical cord venous blood samples from 100 term newborns (40 AGA, 30 SGA, 30 LGA) were analyzed for plasma malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and myeloperoxidase.
  • Whole body bone mineral density and content were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry within 24 hours of birth.

Main Results:

  • Plasma malondialdehyde and SOD concentrations showed a positive correlation between mothers and infants.
  • SGA infants exhibited significantly higher SOD concentrations compared to AGA and LGA infants.
  • Bone mineral density and content were lower in SGA infants and higher in LGA infants relative to AGA infants, but oxidative stress was not related to these bone indices.

Conclusions:

  • The study did not find evidence supporting a significant role for maternal or infant oxidative status in regulating bone metabolism during skeletal development.
  • The observed differences in SOD levels and bone indices among SGA, LGA, and AGA infants warrant further investigation.
Abstract

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