[Changes in the functional status of the liver in the course of chronic obstructive bronchitis]

Hypoxia conditioned by chronic pulmonary insufficiency is associated in patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis with a more intense free-radical oxidation. A reduced ventilation of the lungs is concurrent in patients with a higher level of malonic aldehyde, as well as with a lower activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase. The liver is involved into the pathological process as a back-feed mechanism in response to the oxidation shift in tissues. Changes of the blood amine-acid spectrum, disproteimenia and hyper-fermentation observed in patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis (COB) denote the impaired hepatocyte condition. The regulating liver function is displayed through an intensified synthesis of endogenous antioxidants: 1) high-molecular--superoxide dismutase, catalase, ceruloplasmia and albumin; 2) low-molecular--uric acid, thiol compounds, biogenic amines, bilirubin, cholesterol as well as molecules of the bioenergetics cycles. As for the early COB stages, a higher level of antioxidant enzymes is more pronounced, whereas, the low-molecule endogenous antioxidants are in the forefront in the disease later stages.