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Urinary excretion of pentose phosphate pathway-associated polyols in early postnatal life

Anne Koy1, Anne Waldhaus, Hans-Werner Hammen

  • 1Department of General Pediatrics, University Children's Hospital, Düsseldorf, Germany. anne.koy@med.uni-duesseldorf.de

Neonatology
|November 7, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Urinary polyol excretion is high in newborns, decreasing over the first months of life. This age-dependent pattern suggests a link between polyol formation and fetal development, regardless of gestational maturity.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Metabolic disorders
  • Neonatal physiology

Background:

  • Inborn errors of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) involve specific polyol accumulation.
  • Human polyol metabolism's role, particularly in early development, remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess urinary polyol excretion in neonates, considering gestational maturity.
  • To compare neonatal polyol excretion with that of older children.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed urine samples from 40 neonates (gestational weeks 25-41) for PPP-associated polyols.
  • Quantified polyols (erythritol, D-arabitol, ribitol, xylitol) in urine from 77 children (4 weeks to 10 years).

Main Results:

  • High urinary polyol excretion was observed in neonates immediately after birth, irrespective of gestational age.
  • Polyol concentrations declined exponentially during the initial months of life.
  • A stable steady-state level of polyols was reached thereafter.

Conclusions:

  • Urinary polyol excretion exhibits age-dependency, with peak levels postnatally.
  • Postnatal polyol levels are independent of gestational maturity.
  • Findings suggest a connection between PPP-associated polyol formation and fetal development.
Abstract

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