Disorders of children

Oxidative damage affecting tissues and organs contributes to the development and progression of acute and chronic health problems in the prenatal, neonatal, and pediatric fields. This chapter briefly presents the (patho) physiology of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidative defense systems, the clinical application of oxidative stress biomarkers, and the interrelationship of nitric oxide (NO) system blockade, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress. It then discusses prenatal, neonatal, and pediatric disorders in which enhanced oxidative stress is likely to be involved. The discussion emphasizes that many good biomarkers are readily measurable using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and other methodologies. Finally, the chapter summarizes the therapeutic effects of redox modulation strategies for acute influenza encephalopathy of severe type. Influenza virus infection occurs predominantly in younger generations, so that great concern has arisen in relation to the severity of complications, such as influenza-associated acute encephalopathy (IAE) or severe pneumonia, among children.