Adduct of malondialdehyde to hemoglobin: a new marker of oxidative stress that is associated with significant morbidity in preterm infants.

Preterm infants (PT) are particularly exposed to oxidative stress (OS), and a blood-sparing marker, the malondialdehyde adduct to hemoglobin (MDA-Hb), may be useful to accurately assess OS-related neonatal morbidity. In a prospective study, MDA-Hb concentrations were assessed in two groups of PT, one with and one without severe neonatal morbidity as estimated by a composite index of severe morbidity (ISM). All PT born in a single tertiary care NICU (<32 weeks and birth weight <1500 g) were consecutively included. MDA-Hb and blood glutathione (GSH) concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry during the first 6 weeks of life. Linear regressions and a multilevel model were fitted to study the relationship between MDA-Hb or GSH and ISM. Of the 83 PT (mean ± SD: 28.3 ± 2 weeks, 1089 ± 288 g), 21% presented severe neonatal morbidity. In the multivariate model, MDA-Hb concentrations were significantly higher in the ISM+ group than in the ISM- group during the first 6 weeks of life (P = 0.009). No significant difference in GSH concentrations was observed between groups (P = 0.180). MDA-Hb is a marker of interest for estimating oxidative stress in PT and could be useful to evaluate the impact of strategies to improve perinatal outcomes.