Glutathione peroxidase activity in Alzheimer's disease patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundOxidative stress can trigger and even aggravate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) can regulate oxidative stress by controlling the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the GPX activity in patients with AD through a systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsFollowing the PRISMA guidelines, data were retrieved from four electronic databases, including those containing cohort and case-control studies, published up to December 2024. Statistical analyses were conducted using RevMan, and risk of bias was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.ResultsA total of 1999 scientific papers were collected, and 30 papers were included in this systematic review; 20 were included in the meta-analysis. GPX activity was measured in different tissues, such as erythrocytes, plasma, and postmortem brain. The analyses showed that erythrocytes and plasma GPX activity in most studies were inhibited in AD patients compared to healthy controls.ConclusionsThe analyses showed that GPX activity was decreased in AD patients compared to healthy controls in most of the included studies. More detailed research is needed to better assess the effects of GPX activity on AD-associated cognitive impairment and oxidative stress.