Altered endothelial nitric oxide synthesis in preterm and small for gestational age infants.

Background: Preterm infants are often exposed to neuronal and endothelial damage. The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between endothelial dysfunction and neuronal injury in preterm infants.

Methods: We compared serum nitric oxide (NO), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) concentrations in 33 moderate preterm (MP) and 47 late preterm (LP) infants using standard ELISA.