Oxidative stress early in infancy and neurodevelopmental outcome in very low-birthweight infants

BackgroundReactive oxygen species may be involved in serious diseases in premature infants. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between neurodevelopmental outcome and oxidative stress marker level in the urine of very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants. MethodsSpot urine samples were collected from 35 VLBW infants. Urinary excretion of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage, and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2 (8-isoPGF), a marker of lipid peroxidation, was measured at 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks of age. Neurodevelopmental outcome at 18 months' corrected age was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID)-II. ResultsSignificant correlations were found between urinary 8-OHdG at 2 and 4 weeks and the Mental Development Index of the BSID-II. No significant correlation was found between urinary 8-isoPGF and indices of the BSID-II. ConclusionsIn VLBW infants, urinary 8-OHdG level correlated with mental development rather than psychomotor development at 18 months' corrected age; urinary 8-OHdG might be a predictive marker of neurodevelopmental outcome in VLBW infants.