Prevention of oxygen radical disease in the newborn: Possible therapeutic approaches

Free radical injury has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of conditions that may affect newborn infants. This is not surprising since newborns (especially premature infants) are uniquely susceptible to free radical injury. At birth, newborns are exposed to significantly higher ox...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Seminars in neonatology 1998, Vol.3 (3), p.239-244
Main Authors: Rosenfeld, Warren N., Davis, Jonathan M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
antioxidants
free radical oxygen
vitamins
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Summary:Free radical injury has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of conditions that may affect newborn infants. This is not surprising since newborns (especially premature infants) are uniquely susceptible to free radical injury. At birth, newborns are exposed to significantly higher oxygen concentrations compared to the intrauterine environment and may develop medical conditions that require treatment with prolonged hyperoxia. In addition, newborns may experience reperfusion injury following periods of hypoxia or ischaemia and may have inadequate antioxidant defences to handle these oxidant challenges. As interest in free radical injury in the newborn has grown, so too has research examining possible methods of prevention and treatment. Antioxidant therapy has great potential to further reduce morbidity and mortality in the newborn period by influencing multiple organ systems and disease states. We will now review current strategies for the prevention and treatment of free radical injury in the newborn.
ISSN:1084-2756
1532-2815
DOI:10.1016/S1084-2756(98)80009-2