Effect of Environmental Tobacco Smoke on Plasma Iron, Zinc and Copper Concentrations in Infants

The deleterious effects of cigarette smoking on trace elements concentrations are well known. Recent studies show that exposure of nonsmokers to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) results in many biochemical processes and diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the plasma concentrations of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and cooper (Cu) in 29 infants (14 boys and 15 girls, age range: 2-6 months, mean age: 3.6 months) who had been exposed to ETS (range 8-30 cigarettes/day mean 12.4 ± 4.7) for at least two months at home, while the control group included 30 infants (13 male, 17 female, age range: 2-6 months, mean age: 3.3 months) who had never been exposed to ETS. All infants had been breast fed. The plasma iron concentrations were determined by commercial kit, cotinine levels were determined by luminometric method. Cu and Zn concentrations were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The plasma Fe and Zn concentrations in the study group were significantly lower than in the controls (P < 0.05). However, plasma Cu levels were not different between the two groups (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the plasma Fe and Zn concentration decline in the ETS exposed infants

Oxidative stress in hepatitis C infected end-stage renal disease subjects

BACKGROUND: Both uremia and hepatitis C infection is associated with increased oxidative stress. In the present study, we aimed to find out whether hepatitis C infection has any impact on oxidative stress in hemodialysis subjects. METHODS: Sixteen hepatitis C (+) hemodialysis subjects, 24 hepatitis C negative hemodialysis subjects and 24 healthy subjects were included. Total antioxidant capacity, total peroxide level and oxidative stress index were determined in all subjects. RESULTS: Total antioxidant capacity was significantly higher in controls than hemodialysis subjects with or without hepatitis C infection (all p < 0.05/3), while total peroxide level and oxidative stress index were significantly lower (all p < 0.05/3). Hepatitis C (-) hemodialysis subjects had higher total antioxidant capacity compared to hepatitis C (+) hemodialysis subjects (all p < 0.05/3). Total peroxide level and oxidative stress index was comparable between hemodialysis subjects with or without hepatitis C infection (p > 0.05/3). CONCLUSION: Oxidative stress is increased in both hepatitis C (+) and hepatitis C (-) hemodialysis subjects. However, hepatitis C infection seems to not cause any additional increase in oxidative stress in hemodialysis subjects and it may be partly due to protective effect of dialysis treatment on hepatitis C infection

The effects of dexmedetomidine on mesenteric arterial occlusion-associated gut ischemia and reperfusion-induced gut and kidney injury in rabbits

Objective: We assessed the antioxidant activity of dexmedetomidine (Dex) administered during the ischemic period in a rabbit model of mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury using biochemical and histopathological methods