[Plasma levels of the serum antioxidants (uric acid, ceruloplasmin, transferrin) in term and preterm neonates in the first week of life].

Development of serum antioxidants (ceruloplasmin, transferrin, uric acid and bilirubin) an the 1st, 4th, 7th days of life has been evaluated in 50 healthy NGA newborns (25 preterm with 35 +/- 0.6 week of gestational age and 2270 +/- 150 g of weight, 25 a term with 39 +/- 0.8 week of gestational age and 3480 +/- 220 g of weight) and in apparent absence of oxidant stress. The ceruloplasmin values increase from the 1st to 7th days of life and change significantly at the 4th day between a term and preterm newborns (p < 0.01); the transferrin values reduce significantly an the 1st (p < 0.01) and 7th days of life (p < 0.05); the uric acid values reduce in the two groups an the 1st day (p < 0.01). Our results show in the newborn a prevalent antioxidant activity of the studied substances. The plasma levels of uric acid may be compared, in the first week of life, to the hypoxanthine levels as acute ipoxia gauges.