Total antioxidant status is increased in the serum of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients

Oxidative stress may play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The aim of the study was to investigate serum total antioxidant status (TAS) level, a measure of peroxyl-scavenging capacity, in ALS patients. TAS level was determined by the colorimetric method in the serum from 28 ALS patients and 20 healthy control group subjects. The study revealed that serum TAS level was significantly higher in ALS patients compared with that in controls (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in TAS level between the groups of patients classified according to their age and sex, clinical state, type of ALS onset and duration of disease (p>0.05). The change of TAS level in ALS patients observed in this study suggests that oxidative stress may play an important role in neurodegeneration in ALS. An increase in plasma TAS level may be the result of endogenous protection mechanisms against free radical toxicity, but serum TAS level in ALS patients cannot be a marker of ALS duration, clinical state of patients and type of ALS onset.