Abstract
Summary
Impaired reduction of methemo-globin to hemoglobin by erythrocytes from cord blood is observed with either glucose or inosine as substrate. This observation is consonant with the hypothesis that the decreased reduction is a result of diminished activity of the NADH2-methemoglobin reductase system in the erythrocytes of cord blood. Neonatal deficiency in the activity of this enzyme system may contribute significantly to the increased susceptibility of infants to toxic methemoglobinemia.
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