Análisis del Estrés Laboral y Estrés Oxidativo en profesionales de un servicio de Urgencias Hospitalarias / Occupational and Oxidative Stress in professionals of an Urgency Service

Fundamento: El ritmo de vida laboral actual, las exigenciasde determinados cargos y el grado de implicación profesionalse consideran factores básicos en la etiología de numerosaspatologías propias del envejecimiento.OBJETIVODeterminar estrés oxidativo y envejecimiento en profesionalescon elevado estrés laboral, analizando la influencia de factoressociodemográficos, laborales y el estilo de vida.MÉTODOSSe analizaron 70 profesionales del Servicio de Urgencias delHospital Gregorio Marañon de Madrid. Todos ellos cumplimentaronun cuestionario de características sociodemográficas, laboralesy estilo de vida. En todos se determinó la actividad de dos enzimasantioxidantes superóxido dismutasa (SOD) y catalasa (CAT)y los niveles de malondialdehído (MDA). El análisis estadísticoincluye “t” de Student, test de Kolmogorov-Smirnov y ANOVA. RESULTADOSAspectos sociodemográficos: los parámetros analizadosvarían en función de la edad, pero no por sexo, estado civil,número de hijos o procedencia. Aspectos laborales: mayor actividadenzimática (SOD y CAT) y niveles más altos de MDA enprofesionales del Servicio Urgencias que en grupo control. Influyenla categoría profesional, nivel de estudios, antigüedad en laprofesión y el estilo de vida.CONCLUSIONESEn profesionales sometidos a elevado estrés laboral seobserva un incremento del estrés oxidativo que podría desencadenartrastornos propios del envejecimiento

Background: The stressing conditions of nowadays working life,the specific requirements associated to several professions andthe level of personal implication at work are considered importantfactors in the aetiology of many pathologies related to aging.OBJECTIVETo determine oxidative stress and aging in professionalswhich are under high occupational stress, analysing the influenceof sociodemographic and occupational factors and life style.METHODS70 professionals of Urgency Service of Gregorio MarañonHospital took part in the study. A general questionnaire of sociodemographic,occupational and life style characteristics wasused. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde(MDA) were determined. The statistical analysisincluded: the Student “t” test, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test andthe ANOVA. RESULTSAs far as sociodemographic aspects are concerned: theparameters analyzed vary with age, but not with sex, maritalstatus, number of children or place of birth. As for occupationalaspects: higher enzymatic activity (SOD and CAT) and MDAlevels were found in Urgency Service professionals as comparedwith the control group. Professional category, educationallevel and life style had an influence on those levels.CONCLUSIONSAn increase in oxidative stress is observed in professionalsunder high occupational stress. This increase could lead to agerelateddiseases

[Antioxidant enzymes in acute cerebral infarction]. / Enzimas antioxidantes en el infarto cerebral agudo.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Oxidative modification of DNA, protein and lipids by reactive oxygen peroxides plays an important role in acute cerebral infarction. The biological antioxidant defence system against oxidative stress is an integrated array of enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathion peroxidase (GPx). The purpose of this work was: 1. To investigate the evolution of SOD and CAT activities as possible markers of oxidative activity in patients with acute cerebral infarction. 2. To establish the relationship between the type of stroke and the activity of these two enzymes. 3. To analyze the relationship between the degree of neurological deficits of patients with stroke and SOD and CAT activities. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a prospective study comprising 45 patients with acute cerebral infarction (24 females and 21 males), aged from 48 to 96. The infarcts were classified in atherotrombotics and cardioembolics. SOD and CAT activities were measured on days 1, 3, 6 and 15. RESULTS: Activities of SOD and CAT in patients on admission were lower than those of controls and showed a gradual increase over time. The activity mean of SOD was significantly higher in cardioembolic infarctions than in atherotrombotic infarctions (p < 0.05). SOD activity was significantly lower for Mathew score > 60, while CAT activity was higher. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that there is a progressive increase in SOD and CAT activity during ictus evolution, a different activity of SOD and CAT in cardioembolic and atherotrombotic infarctions, and that there is a relationship between activity of antioxidant enzymes and Mathew's score.

Superoxide dismutase activity levels in a Spanish population 50-93 years.

Reports dealing with the free radical theory of aging have focused on the possibility that aging may be accelerated in elderly individuals due to lowering of antioxidant defenses. Accordingly, free radical processes involving oxygen continously damage cells and tissues in the body, leading to degeneration and aging. Scavenging enzymes represent one of the several natural defense mechanisms against free radical-induced damage. These enzymes include superoxide dismutase. To investigate the role of this enzyme in aging, its activity was measured in 126 individuals 50-93 years of age. Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD(1)) was measured in red blood cells using the Minami and Yoshikawa method. The results were compared with those observed in a population between 18 and 65 years of age. SOD(1) activity in males remains constant or slightly decreases with age, whereas in females SOD(1) activity shows a significant increase in individuals between 68 and 93 years. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 11:45-47, 1999. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Free radicals: important cause of pathologies refer to ageing.

Free radical are highly reactive chemical species with an unpaired electron in an atomic or molecular orbital. In biological systems, the most important free radicals are superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide; in the presence of transition metals such as iron, copper and manganese both these free radicals produce hydroxyl radicals. Free radicals attack proteins, nuclei acids and membranes containing large quantities of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Because of their toxicity, the organism has developed ways to deactivate them. The superoxide dismutase enzyme (SOD) catalyzes dismutation of the superoxide radical into hydrogen peroxide and oxygen hydrogen peroxide is in turn reduced to water and oxygen by peroxidase glutathione and catalase enzymes. The production of radicals in the brain is due to catecholamine metabolism such as dopamine and norepinephrine and is increased by the presence of transition metals and by a deficiency of antioxidant agents such as vitamin E. Two main groups of dementia exist in older age: the multi-infarctual dementias, caused by cerebrovascular disorders and the primary degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer, where no vascular disease is evident. Free radicals play an important role in Parkinson's disease, in Alzheimer's disease and in stroke. The value of SOD and CAT activity following the above mentioned degenerative diseases differ among the various studies carried out. In Alzheimer's disease, the value of SOD activity probably increases in the neuropathologically involved areas. In stroke, the SOD value does not vary either in the ischemic area or in the peri-infarctual one during the first 24 hrs after lesion, while the CAT value decreases.

Thalassemia and G6PD deficiency in Spanish blood donors.

Our purpose was to determine the frequency of the thalassemia trait and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in blood donors of Madrid, composed of persons from nearly all the Spanish provinces (ranging from 21 to 65 years of age). The frequency of thalassemia and G6PD deficiency has been investigated with the following results; thalassemia 0.92% and no G6PD deficiency. The frequencies observed are compared with those found in the general (non donor) Spanish population. The value of this experiment is considered a supplement to other tests done routinely in our official blood donors.

Human aging brain disorders: role of antioxidant enzymes.

In order to investigate the role of two free radical detoxificant enzymes in patients with aging brain disorders, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities have been measured in blood from male and female human patients of different ages with several types of aging brain disorders. When compared with activities in the normal population, we have detected: 1) SOD and CAT activities are decreased in patients with Parkinson disease. 2) SOD activity seems to be normal and CAT activity is decreased in patients with dementia. 3) In the patients with stroke, SOD activity is normal, while CAT activity is decreased. SOD activity was measured in red blood cells using the Minami and Yoshikawa method. CAT activity was measured in hemolysates by the method of Aebi. We can conclude that SOD and CAT activities in patients with Parkinson disease are decreased.

Superoxide dismutase and catalase blood levels in patients with malignant diseases.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities have been measured in blood from male and female patients of different ages with several types of cancer, in order to examine the relationship among cancer and the two free radical detoxificant enzymes. SOD activity in patients with cancer was found not to be significantly different from the SOD activity observed in the normal population. CAT activity was lower in patients with cancer, especially in lymphomas, when compared with CAT activity in the normal population.

[Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and aging]. / Superóxido dismutasa (SOD) y envejecimiento.

The rates of SOD in the Spanish population have been studied in an attempt to correlate them with aging. The study was comprised of 94 healthy blood donors with ages between 58 and 65 years. The findings were compared with those of 2,297 healthy normal subjects previously reported. The method of Miami and Yoshikawa was judged the technique of choice for a population study. The SOD levels found were 4.04 +/- 0.83 U/mL. Individuals from rural areas had values of 3.09 +/- 1.31 (p = 0.01), whereas subjects from urban environment showed values of 4.20 +/- 0.97 (p: ns). These figures, in the Spanish population as a whole, were 4.16 +/- 0.89, 3.81 +/- 0.9 and 4.22 +/- 0.97, respectively. The SOD rates in blood donors aged 58-65 years from the rural environment are significantly lower than those os their urban counterparts. The levels in this age-group are significantly lower than those of the general population. These findings suggest that increased SOD activity in the urban areas could result from a better protective mechanism with regard to higher concentrations of superoxide radicals which other would achieve toxic effects.

Superoxide dismutase activity in the Spanish population.

Superoxide dismutase is an enzyme that catalyzes the dismutation of superoxide radicals to hydrogen peroxide and molecular oxygen. This superoxide radical is produced by all aerobic cells as a normal metabolic intermediate of molecular oxygen, and is dangerous for the cell because it induces the inactivation of various enzymes, lipid peroxidation and mutations. Superoxide dismutase can therefore be considered as a protective enzyme. The purpose of this work was to determine the level of superoxide dismutase activity in the Spanish population, and to study the factors that influence this activity. The superoxide dismutase activity of 2397 individuals was determined using the method described by Minami and Yoshikawa. The superoxide dismutase activity level in the adult Spanish population was found to be 4.16 +/- 0.89 Units/ml of blood. No significant variations with respect to sex were detected. But it was observed that the superoxide dismutase activity level was 9% higher in the young urban Spanish population.

Frequency of glutathione reductase, pyruvate kinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in a Spanish population.

The frequencies of deficiencies of glutathione reductase (GSSG-R), pyruvate kinase (PK) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in a Spanish sample are presented. A total of 2,129 individuals was analyzed for GSSG-R, 1,636 for PK, and 1,066 (629 males and 437 females) for G6PD. Beutler's method was used. The frequencies obtained for these deficiencies were: GSSG-R, 0.09%; PK, 0.24%; and G6PD, 0.79%. The results are discussed.

Double heterozygosis for hemoglobin C-beta thalassemia: description of a Spanish family. Hemoglobin C-beta thalassemia in a Spanish family.

A spanish family is described with two abnormal genes: 1) hemoglobin C in heterozygosis with normal hemoglobin, introduced by the subject's mother, and 2) heterozygotic betathalassemia for which the father is a carrier. In the subject and his sister, both abnormal genes coincide with the presence of hemoglobin C and hemoglobin F, simulating homozygosis for hemoglobin C. The clinical condition shows medium intensity chronic hemolysis. In the subject's brother, mother and grandmother, simple heterozygosis of hemoglobins A-C is seen, with no apparent clinical manifestations. The father shows subjaundice with some acute hemolytic episodes. Hypotheses are discussed which might explain the presence of these hemoglobins in Spain.