HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in ADC Online Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wardle, S P Articles by Weindling, A M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wardle, S P Articles by Weindling, A M

Effect of blood transfusion on lipid peroxidation in preterm infants

Neonatal Unit, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr Wardle, Neonatal Unit, Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK;
steve.wardle{at}mail.qmcuh-tr.trent.nhs.uk

Objective: To see whether there was a link between blood transfusion and lipid peroxidation as measured by urinary malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in preterm infants.

Methods: Urine samples were collected before and after blood transfusions in preterm infants. Twenty blood transfusion episodes were studied in 12 infants (some infants were studied on more than one occasion). Twenty two infants who had not received a transfusion were used as controls. All infants were preterm and less than 1500 g birth weight. Urinary MDA was measured using a thiobarbituric acid assay and expressed as nmol/mg creatinine.

Results: The median (interquartile range) urinary MDA concentration before transfusion was 9.1 (6.4–12.6) nmol/mg, and was not significantly different from that in the 22 non-transfused infants (11.3 (7.3–15.6) nmol/mg). There was a significant increase 24 hours after transfusion to 14.6 (7.3–23.7) nmol/mg, but it decreased to 10.1 (6.6–15.4) nmol/mg when measured a median (range) of 6 (3–9) days later.

Conclusions: Blood transfusions were associated with evidence of increased lipid peroxidation. If lipid peroxidation contributes to the pathogenesis of retinopathy of prematurity and chronic lung disease, these results suggest an explanatory mechanism.

Keywords: blood transfusions; lipid peroxidation; oxygen free radicals; malondialdehyde

Abbreviations: MDA, malondialdehyde; CLD, chronic lung disease; ROP, retinopathy of prematurity; IQR, interquartile range

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C Dani, E Martelli, G Bertini, M Pezzati, M Rossetti, G Buonocore, P Paffetti, and F F Rubaltelli Effect of blood transfusions on oxidative stress in preterm infants Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed., September 1, 2004; 89(5): F408 - F411. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]