Antioxidant status in rheumatoid arthritis

Clin Chim Acta. 2003 Dec;338(1-2):123-9.  Related Articles, Links  

  
Antioxidant status in rheumatoid arthritis and role of antioxidant therapy.

Jaswal S, Mehta HC, Sood AK, Kaur J.

Department of Biochemistry, GMCH, H No. 2506-A, Sector 47-C, 160047,
Chandigarh, India

BACKGROUND: Oxygen free radicals have been implicated as mediators of tissue
damage in patients of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study was designed to
elucidate plasma oxidant/antioxidant status in rheumatoid arthritis, with the
aim of evaluating the importance of antioxidant therapy in the management of
this disease. METHODS: The study included 40 patients of rheumatoid arthritis
who were randomly divided into two subgroups of 20 each. One group received
conventional treatment for 12 weeks and in the other group conventional
treatment was supplemented with antioxidants for the same duration. Twenty age-
and sex-matched normal individuals constituted the control group. Blood samples
of controls and patients were collected at the time of presentation and
analyzed for total thiols, glutathione, vitamin C and malondialdehyde
(MDA-marker of oxidative stress). The investigations were repeated in the
patients after 12 weeks. RESULTS: The blood concentrations of total thiols,
glutathione and vitamin C were found to be significantly lower in rheumatoid
arthritis patients as compared to healthy controls, while the concentrations of
MDA were much higher. There was a statistically significant increase in the
posttreatment concentrations of these antioxidants, along with a decrease in
the concentrations of MDA. CONCLUSIONS: The antioxidant defense system is
compromised in rheumatoid arthritis patients. There is a shift in the
oxidant/antioxidant balance in favor of lipid peroxidation, which could lead to
the tissue damage observed in the disease. The results suggest the necessity
for therapeutic co-administration of antioxidants along with conventional drugs
to such patients. However, due to the limited number of cases included in this
study, more studies may be required to substantiate the results and arrive at a
definite conclusion, in terms of safety and efficacy of adding on antioxidant
therapy for the treatment of RA.

PMID: 14637276 [PubMed - in process] 

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