Elevated levels of serum sICAM-1 in asphyxiated low birth weight newborns.

Perinatal hypoxia results in neuronal and endothelial cell damage. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) expression and peripheral blood changes in perinatal asphyxia with neuronal injury markers in low birth weight (LBW) neonates. We compared the concentrations of serum sICAM-1, neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and antibodies specific for NR2 glutamate receptors in 29 asphyxiated and 20 control infants using standard enzyme immunoassay procedures.

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.