endogenous antioxidant enzymes in end-stage renal disease

ABSTRACT

This study was done to evaluate the plasma endogenous antioxidant enzymes activity [glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase] in patients with end stage renal disease. Sixty patients were studied. They were divided into two groups group I [30 patients with chronic renal failure on maintenance hemodialysis] and group II [30 patients with different degrees of renal impairment on conservative drug managemen]. Thirty healthy volunteers with normal kidney function were taken as a control group [group III]. For all of them the following was done full medical history, complete clinical examination, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit value, serum urea, creatinine, uric acid, calcium, phosphorus, fasting and 2 hours postpr and ial blood sugar, creatinine clearance, and blood levels of super-oxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase. We found that the blood level of superoixde dismutase was significantly lower in group I than group III [P. < 0.0001] and it was significantly lower in group II than group III [P < 0.0001] and there was no significant difference between group I and group II [P < 0.3720]. The blood level of glutathione peroxidase was significantly lower in group I than group III [P < 0.0001] it was significantly lower in group II than group III [P < 0.0001] and significantly lower in group I than group II [P < 0.0117]. The plasma level of catalase was significantly lower in group I than group III [P < 0.001] and it was significantly lower in group II than group III [P < 0.0165] and there was no significant difference between group I and group II [P < 0.7002]. There was positive correlation between hemoglobin concentration and whole blood superoxide dismutase [r= 0.5767-P<0.0001] and also plasma catalase [r=0.2348 P<0.05]. It can be concluded that impaired activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes occurs early in the course of chronic renal failure and is further exacerbated by hemodialysis resulting in permenant oxidative stress that can be an important mediator contributing to the progression of renal failure and to associated complications such as anemia consequently, it may be possible to propose that some antioxidant substances may be useful for such patients