ESTIMATION OF PROTEIN-THIOLS IN VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT NEONATES BEFORE AND AFTER RECEIVING TPN

Introduction: Very-low-birth-weight infants are born at a time of otherwise rapid intrauterine brain & body growth. These infants have limited endogenous energy stores. Specificneonatal morbidity (ventilator & oxygen dependent infants) may also increase metabolic demands by as much as 25% compared to the controls. Rapid establishment of postnatal nutrition is essential to provide continuous administration of nutrition. Thus total parental nutrition is provided to achieve a body composition & growth similar to those of a normal fetus of the same postmenstrual age. Objective: Total Parental Nutrition (TPN) is a potential source of oxidants. A balance between oxidants & antioxidants is instrumental to maintain competent immune system. Thiol-disulfide interconversions play crucial role in the chemistry of biological systems. They participate in major systems that control the cellular redox potential & prevent oxidative damage. This study is carried out with an objective of estimating protein thiols in the plasma of neonates before and after receiving TPN. Materials and Methods: Hemodynamicallystable, low birth weight infants with a birth weight