Oxidative stress and antioxidant status in Saudi asthmatic patients.

OBJECTIVES: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disorder associated with recruitment of inflammatory cells. This study aims to clarify the role of oxidative stress and antioxidant status in the deterioration accompanied asthma.

DESIGN AND METHODS: Vitamin E, Vitamin C, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), reduced glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant status together with the concentrations of lipid peroxides, total nitrates and oxidative DNA damage (8-oxodeoxyguanine) were determined in plasma or whole blood of 47 Saudi asthmatic patients and compared to age-matching control samples.

RESULTS: The present study showed that asthmatic patients have significantly decreased levels of GSH, α-tocopherol, GPx, total antioxidant status and higher levels of SOD, lipid peroxides, total nitrate and 8-oxo-dG. Vitamin C recorded more or less similar levels in both groups.

CONCLUSION: Alteration of the selected measured parameters confirms that oxidative stress and defective antioxidant status could represent the primary causative factor in the pathogenesis of asthma.