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Haematological Indices and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in Ghanaian Stroke Patients
Richard Harry Asmah1, Pomah Sackey2, Patrick Adjei3
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana.
Insights
Stroke patients exhibit altered blood cell counts and lower antioxidant enzyme activity. Specifically, high white blood cell and plateletcrit levels, along with reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, are significant indicators of stroke risk.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Hematology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Stroke is a leading cause of global mortality and disability.
- It occurs when brain blood supply is interrupted, leading to oxidative stress.
- Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a key enzyme in combating oxidative stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hematological indices in Ghanaian stroke patients.
- To assess superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity in stroke patients.
- To identify potential biomarkers for stroke prediction.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 30 stroke patients and 30 healthy controls.
- Collected blood samples for hematological analysis.
- Measured red blood cell SOD enzyme activity.
Main Results:
- Stroke patients showed significantly higher white blood cell, neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophil, red blood cell, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet, and plateletcrit levels.
- SOD enzyme activity was significantly lower in stroke patients.
- Lymphocyte levels negatively correlated with SOD activity, indicating increased oxidative stress.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences in hematological parameters were observed between stroke patients and controls.
- Lower SOD activity and higher lymphocyte and plateletcrit levels are significant predictors of stroke.
- These findings highlight the role of oxidative stress and hematological changes in stroke.
Background:
Stroke is a cardiovascular disorder causing mortality globally and long-lasting harm worldwide. The disease occurs when the blood flow to the brain is either interrupted or blocked. This disruption leads to the increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), especially superoxide free radicals, resulting in oxidative stress. The superoxide radicals are removed by superoxide dismutase (SOD), a key antioxidant enzyme. In this work, we investigated haematological indices and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity in Ghanaian patients with stroke and healthy control participants.
Materials And Methods:
Thirty stroke patients attending a stroke clinic and thirty apparently healthy control participants were recruited into the study. Blood samples were collected to determine haematological indices and SOD enzyme activity in red blood cells.
Results:
The stroke patients had significantly high blood parameters such as white blood cell (p < 0.001), neutrophil (p < 0.001), lymphocyte (p = 0.003), and eosinophil (p < 0.001) comparing with study participants without stroke, who were the control group in the study. Other blood parameters such as red blood cell, (p < 0.001), haemoglobin (p < 0.001), and haematocrit (p < 0.001) levels and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (p = 0.030), platelet (p = 0.010), and plateletcrit (p = 0.027) were high in stroke patients comparing with study control participants and statistically significant. Blood lymphocyte levels observed in stroke patients correlated negatively and significantly with SOD activity levels. SOD activity levels were significantly lower in stroke patients compared with the control group (p < 0.001). Low values of the antioxidant enzyme SOD activity levels, lymphocytes, and high values of plateletcrit were significant predictors of stroke.
Conclusion:
Haematological parameters such as WBC, lymphocyte, platelet levels, and red cell indices were significantly different in the stroke patients being studied. There was negative correlation between lymphocyte significantly with SOD activity and high oxidative stress in stroke patients compared with the control group. Lymphocytes and plateletcrit levels were also good predictors of the occurrence of stroke.
