Does Pasteurized Donor Human Milk Efficiently Protect Preterm Infants Against Oxidative Stress?

Pasteurized donor human milk (DHM) is the preferred alternative for infant nutrition when own mother's milk (OMM) is unavailable. Whether DHM is an efficient means for protecting preterm infants from oxidative stress remains unknown. We quantified a panel of oxidative stress biomarkers in urine samples from preterm infants (≤32 weeks of gestation and a birth weight ≤1500 g) receiving ≥80% of feeding volume as either DHM or OMM. The noninvasive in vivo assessment of oxidative stress showed no statistically significant difference between both groups at the time when full enteral nutrition (150 mL/kg body weight) was achieved and until hospital discharge. In addition, the changes of urinary biomarker levels with time were assessed. This is the first longitudinal study on oxidative stress levels in preterm infants fed with DHM in comparison with OMM. There is no statistically significant difference in urinary oxidative stress levels of preterm infants from both groups indicating that despite the effects of pasteurization, DHM is a valid alternative when OMM is not available. Based on the results, we raise the hypothesis that pasteurized DHM protects preterm infants from oxidative stress as good as OMM, and consequently, its use could prevent oxidative stress-related diseases. Antioxid. Redox Signal . 31, 791-799.