Arterial cord blood lutein levels in preterm and term healthy newborns are sex and gestational age dependent

作者：Picone Simonetta; Ritieni Alberto; Fabiano Adele; Troise Antonio Dario; Graziani Giulia; Paolillo Piermichele; Volti Giovanni Li; D' Orazio Nicolantonio; Galvano Fabio^*; Gazzolo Diego

来源：Clinical Biochemistry, 2012, 45(18): 1558-1563.

DOI：10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2012.07.109

• Newborn
• Cord blood
• Lutein
• Reference curve
• Tandem mass spectrometry
• HPLC

Objective: Lutein is an antioxidant carotenoid exerting a key role in eye health, but no reference curve in the perinatal period is available. %26lt;br%26gt;Design and methods: We conducted a prospective study on the distribution of lutein and its metabolite 3%26apos;-oxolutein in arterial cord blood of preterm (n=40) and term (n=76) newborns according to gestational age, sex and delivery modalities. %26lt;br%26gt;Results: Lutein and 3%26apos;-oxolutein concentrations peaked at the beginning of third trimester (P%26lt;0.01, for both) being higher in the preterm than in term group. From 36 weeks onwards, lutein and 3%26apos;-oxolutein levels progressively decreased reaching the lowest levels at term between 41 and 42 weeks (P%26lt;0.01, for both). Lutein and 3%26apos;-oxolutein significantly (P%26lt;0.01, for all) correlated with each other (R=0.33) and with gestational age at sampling (R=0.31 and R=0.38 for lutein and 3-oxolutein, respectively) (P%26lt;0.001, for all). Indeed, lutein and 3%26apos;-oxolutein concentrations were significantly higher (P%26lt;0.05, for all) in female than in male and significantly lower (P%26lt;0.01, for both) in newborns delivered by caesarean section when compared to vaginal delivery. %26lt;br%26gt;Conclusions: Since macula densa and retina are sites of lutein accumulation, the present findings open-up a new cue on the potential role of lutein in the prevention of the retinopathy of prematurity.

• 出版日期2012-12