Evaluation of the serum antioxidant status in asthmatic children

Many studies have shown the balance between the oxygen reactive species (ROS) and the antioxidant capacities, and that the massive ROS generation could lead to cell damage and diseases such as atherosclerosis, aging and cancer. Changes in antioxidant capacity like free radicals scavenging antioxidant agents such as vitamin E, C content, serum concentrations of bilirubin, uric acid, albumin and antioxidant enzyme systems like SOD, and GPx activities have been described to be related to many diseases. However, the research on chronic airway inflammatory disease and the antioxidant defence system is still not enough. Understanding of the antioxidant status and antioxidant enzymes in asthmatic patients is still unclear. In the present controlled study, we investigated the total antioxidant status (TAS) in serum and the antioxidant enzyme (total SOD and GPx) activities in 46 asthmatic children and 52 normal controls. The serum level of TAS in asthmatic children was significantly lower than the controls. The SOD concentration in asthmatic children was higher than the control, however the GPx was much lower than the control children, even though it was not statistical significance. In conclusion, these results suggested the existence of higher oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in asthmatic children, and that the antioxidant capacities in asthmatic children were altered. If the production of ROS was persistent, it would result in chronic inflammation and the imbalance of oxidative-reductive status in those patients.