Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Status in Primary Pulmonary Tuberculosis - A Case Control Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives The objectives of present study were to find out oxidative stress in genesis of pulmonary tuberculosis, assess role of antioxidant defense in pathophysiology of disease process and to correlate oxidative stress and antioxidant defense mechanism in pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods Present case control study was conducted at Department of Biochemistry, KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Belgaum between February 2009 to January 2010 on 50 cases of primary pulmonary tuberculosis and 50 healthy controls in the age of group of 25 to 50 years of both sexes. Ten ml of blood was collected from the patients immediately after admission. It was used for estimation of malondialdehyde, oxidative stress parameter and antioxidants like SOD, GSH Px, catalase, vitamin C and E. Results Mean age of controls was 33.7±5.61 years and in cases it was 34.8±6.39 years. Mean BMI in control group was 24.3±3.06 kg/m 2 and 21.1±2.53 Kg/m patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Mean MDA levels in control were 5.2±1.42 nmol/ml and in cases it was 14.2±2.21 nmol/ml. Enzymatic antioxidants SOD, GSH Px and catalase levels in controls was 882.1±116.81 IU/gmHb, 19.2±1.67 IU/gmHb and 5.9±1.40 IU/gmHb and in cases it was 504.1±116.24 IU/gmHb, 8.8±2.22 IU/gmHb and 3.7±1.02 IU/gmHb respectively. Non enzymatic antioxidant vitamin E and C levels in the control group were 2 in VI 0.92±0.16 mg/dL and 1.01±0.18 mg/dL, and in cases it was 0.31±0.16 mg/dL and 0.43±0.16 mg/dL respectively. There was a significant increase in the MDA levels and decrease in enzymatic antioxidants in cases compared to controls ( p<0.001) . Non enzymatic antioxidants in the cases were significantly decreased when compared to controls ( p<0.001) . Conclusion and interpretation The findings of this study suggest a significant association between oxidative stress and antioxidant defense mechanism among patients tuberculosis.