[Xanthine oxidase as an indicator of neonatal adaptation]

The reactions reflecting adaptation may assume pathological traits under certain conditions. It is necessary to have reliable predictors that characterize adaptive processes. As this criterion, it is expedient to use the most important marker of free radical oxidation, such as xanthine oxidase (XO) activity. On the basis of the authors' findings, it can be said that it is advisable to apply this test to the screening of the course of adaptation within the first days after birth and to the detection of neonatal infants who require more scrupulous attention.