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

Assessment of serum L-fucose in brain tumor cases

<b>Background:</b> Glycosylation of altered tumor cell in relation to cellular heterogeneity in human intracranial tumors remains relatively unexposed. Serum protein-bound carbohydrate, L-Fucose is reported to be overexpressed during tumor progression by many investigators. Therefore, there is a need to determine the diagnostic, prognostic, functional significance of glycoprotein elevations in various cases of tumors. <b> Objective:</b> The objective of the present study was to evaluate the clinical utility of serum L-fucose in patients with brain tumor. <b> Materials and Methods:</b> Serum glyco-conjugate levels were estimated in 99 patients with brain tumors. Estimation of L-fucose was carried out colorimetrically by the method of Winzler using cysteine hydrochloride. <b> Results:</b> There was a significant increase in L-fucose level in most of the patients. In the posttreatment cases, the L-fucose levels were apparently low compared to preoperative values. <b> Conclusion:</b> Our results showed that the rise in serum L-fucose may be used as a general marker for brain tumors in addition to other markers

Estimation of salivary protein thiols and total antioxidant power of saliva in brain tumor patients

Background: The role of oxidative stress in the genesis of various types of cancers is well established. Several chemical, cell culture and animal studies also indicate that antioxidants may slow or even prevent the development of cancer. Brain is considered abnormally sensitive to oxidative damage as brain tissue has high rate of oxygen consumption, high lipid content and relatively low antioxidant defenses, compared to other tissues. Materials and Methods: The study design chosen for the present study was cross sectional. The biochemical parameters that were estimated in saliva manually using spectrophotometric methods were ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay - a direct measure of total antioxidant activity of biological fluids and protein thiols. The physical parameters of saliva that were also assessed were salivary flow rate, pH of the saliva and the osmolality of the saliva. Results: The mean values of salivary flow rate and pH were significantly decreased among malignant and benign tumor patients whereas the salivary osmolality was significantly increased in both the groups of patients. The mean values of salivary FRAP were significantly reduced among malignant and benign tumor patients. However, the salivary protein thiols were significantly increased in these patients. Conclusion: Hence with these observations it can be concluded that in saliva, besides the physical characteristics, salivary FRAP and protein thiol levels are appropriate indicators of the antioxidant status in brain tumor patients

Estimation of salivary protein thiols and total antioxidant power of saliva in brain tumor patients

Background: The role of oxidative stress in the genesis of various types of cancers is well established. Several chemical, cell culture and animal studies also indicate that antioxidants may slow or even prevent the development of cancer. Brain is considered abnormally sensitive to oxidative damage as brain tissue has high rate of oxygen consumption, high lipid content and relatively low antioxidant defenses, compared to other tissues. Materials and Methods: The study design chosen for the present study was cross sectional. The biochemical parameters that were estimated in saliva manually using spectrophotometric methods were ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay - a direct measure of total antioxidant activity of biological fluids and protein thiols. The physical parameters of saliva that were also assessed were salivary flow rate, pH of the saliva and the osmolality of the saliva. Results: The mean values of salivary flow rate and pH were significantly decreased among malignant and benign tumor patients whereas the salivary osmolality was significantly increased in both the groups of patients. The mean values of salivary FRAP were significantly reduced among malignant and benign tumor patients. However, the salivary protein thiols were significantly increased in these patients. Conclusion: Hence with these observations it can be concluded that in saliva, besides the physical characteristics, salivary FRAP and protein thiol levels are appropriate indicators of the antioxidant status in brain tumor patients