Study on serum ceruloplasmin, transferrin, prealbumin levels in premature newborns with intrauterine growth retardation

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to measure the serum ceruloplasmin activity, transferrin, albumin and prealbumin as parameters of the antioxidant system in the human plasma in preterm as well as in small for gestational age babies in an attempt to find a relationship that may help in predicting complications in those babies. 100 pregnant ladies and their newborns were the subject of the study. All mothers were subjected to careful prenatal care and assessment of fetal growth, and their newborns were grouped into 3 groups A group of 40 premature babies, a group of 30 small for date babies, and a control group of 30 healthy full term babies. The incidence of perinatal asphixia and RDS were lower in SGA in relation to preterm babies with positive higher levels of serum ceruloplasmin and transferrin. Although, albumin and prealbumin participate in the antioxidant activity of the plasma, yet their use in assessment of antioxidative activity in the plasma is not valuable. It was concluded that preterm babies are more susceptible to neonatal oxygen radical diseases than full term or small for gestational age neonates