[Antioxidant systems of erythrocytes in rheumatism]

Patients with inactive and active rheumatic fever were examined for the intensity of lipid peroxidation of red blood cell membranes, lipid antioxidant system of tocopherol, non-lipid system of glutathione and related total activity of the pentosophosphate pathway of carbohydrate metabolism in red blood cells. It was established that activation of rheumatic process is accompanied by a increase in the content of diene conjugates in lipids of red blood cell membranes, a reduction of the tocopherol content in blood plasma, activation of glutathione reductase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase with the lowering of the total activity of the pentose cycle in red blood cells. The characteristics under study depended to a lesser degree on circulation insufficiency. The interrelationship between the shifts revealed is discussed, the mechanism by which they develop is suggested.