Open AccessSelenium supplementation for the preterm Indian neonate
Author(s) -
Geeta Gathwala,
Rahul Aggarwal
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
indian journal of public health/indian journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.381
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 2229-7693
pISSN - 0019-557X
DOI - 10.4103/0019-557x.184571
Subject(s) - bronchopulmonary dysplasia , necrotizing enterocolitis , retinopathy of prematurity , periventricular leukomalacia , medicine , selenium , intraventricular hemorrhage , glutathione peroxidase , enteral administration , antioxidant , low birth weight , parenteral nutrition , pediatrics , pregnancy , gestational age , biochemistry , oxidative stress , chemistry , superoxide dismutase , biology , genetics , organic chemistry
Deficient antioxidant defenses in preterm infants have been implicated in diseases such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, periventricular leukomalacia, and intraventricular hemorrhage. The antioxidant properties of selenium make it important in the nutrition of very low-birth weight (VLBW) infants. Selenium is a component of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), an enzyme that prevents the production of free radicals. Preterm infants have low selenium stores and require supplementation by parenteral and enteral routes. This communiquι reviews the beneficial role that selenium supplementation might play in improving neonatal outcomes.