5 research outputs found
Erythrocyte indicators of oxidative changes in patients with graded traumatic head injury
Context: Acute oxidative stress following a traumatic head injury (HI)
has been implicated in inducing severe secondary brain damage and
influencing the clinical outcome of HI patients. Aims: This study was
performed to evaluate and compare the oxidative changes in patients
with varying severity of HI in the early posttraumatic period using
erythrocyte indicators. Settings and Design: Head injury patients were
divided into two groups based on their Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores
recorded at admission to the hospital on the day of trauma itself.
Accordingly, the study included 30 severe HI (SHI, GCS scores 8 or
less) and 25 Mild HI (MHI, GCS scores more than 8) patients. Thirty age
and sex-matched healthy individuals were included in this comparative
study as controls. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were obtained
from controls and HI patients (within 24 h of trauma onset).
Erythrocyte oxidative changes were studied by estimating thiobarbituric
acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione (GSH), superoxide
dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR). Results: Erythrocyte
TBARS levels were significantly higher and GSH levels were
significantly lower in SHI and MHI patients as compared to controls.
The SOD activity was significantly increased only in SHI patients and
remained unchanged in MHI patients as compared to controls. As compared
to MHI patients, erythrocyte TBARS levels were significantly higher,
GSH levels were significantly lower and SOD activity was markedly
elevated in SHI patients. Erythrocyte GR activity did not show
significant changes in both groups of patients as compared to controls.
Conclusion: Oxidative stress is evident in both SHI and MHI patients
in the early posttraumatic period as reflected by their erythrocyte
indicators, but the severity of oxidative stress has varied relatively
with the severity of head injury. The present findings provide
indications that early oxidative changes could influence the
neurological recovery of HI patients
Time-relative changes in the erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities and their relationship with glasgow coma scale scores in severe head injury patients in the 21-day posttraumatic study period
Background: Reactive oxygen species are indicated to play a prime role
in the pathophysiology of brain damage following a severe head injury
(SHI). Aim: The current study was designed to understand the
time-relative changes and relationship between erythrocyte antioxidant
enzyme activities and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of SHI patients
in the 21-day posttraumatic study period. Settings and Design: The
study included 24 SHI patients and 25 age- and sex-matched normal
controls (NC). Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione
reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were assayed in
these patients and controls. The GCS scores of these patients were also
recorded for the comparative study. Materials and Methods: Venous
blood samples were collected on day 7 (D7) and D21 from SHI patients
and NC for the assay of SOD, GR and GSH-Px activities. These changes
were correlated with age and changes in GCS scores of patients.
Statistical Analysis: A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used
to compare mean values of each parameter between group 1 (NC), group 2
(D7 changes in SHI patients) and group 3 (D21 changes in SHI patients).
ANOVA was followed by Bonferroni post hoc tests. The Pearson
correlation was applied to correlate between the antioxidant parameters
and age and GCS scores of these patients. Results: A significant
increase in erythrocyte SOD and GSH-Px activities was observed in group
3 as compared to groups 1 and 2. The increase in GSH-Px activity was
significant in group 2 as compared to group 1. Although not
significant, there was an increase in mean GR activity in groups 2 and
3 as compared to group 1. Conclusion: These findings indicate that SHI
patients have shown significantly enhanced erythrocyte SOD and GSH-Px
activities during the 21-day posttraumatic study period