The Impacts of Ramadan Intermittent Fasting on Oxidant/Antioxidant Stress Biomarkers of Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Male Patients.

No prior study has evaluated the impacts of Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) on oxidant/antioxidant stress (OS/AOS) biomarkers in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of RIF on some OS/AOS biomarkers measured in male patients with stable COPD. Fifteen COPD patients (mean age: 71 ± 6 years) fasting Ramadan in 2017 volunteered to take part in the study. Three sessions (before Ramadan [BR], end Ramadan [ER], after Ramadan [AR]) were selected. Blood samples of OS (homocysteine [µmol/L], thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS, µmol/L]) and AOS (catalase [U/ml], ceruloplasmin [g/L], superoxide dismutase [SOD, ng/ml], zinc [µmol/L], albumin [g/L]) biomarkers were consistently taken 4.5 to 2.5 hr before the iftar. Findings were analyzed by applying Friedman or Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA. Comparisons of the number of patients with high OS [high homocysteine and/or TBARS] and low AOS (low catalase and/or ceruloplasmin and/or SOD and/or zinc and/or albumin) blood values between the three sessions were performed using the Cochran test. The median ± interquartile of homocysteine (BR: 21.48 [18.98-24.49], ER: 23.15 [21.77-26.45], AR: 24.87 [21.91-37.12]), ceruloplasmin (BR: 0.27 [0.24-0.30], ER: 0.28 [0.26-0.33], AR: 0.28 [0.25-0.32]), SOD (BR: 288.00 [112.00-400.00], ER: 182.00 [152.00-386.00], AR: 234.00 [190.00-420.00]) and the mean ± SD of TBARS (BR: 5.66 ± 1.26, ER: 4.59 ± 0.78, AR: 5.29 ± 1.69), catalase (BR: 120.97 ± 54.62, ER: 106.73 ± 50.92, AR: 137.39 ± 40.88), zinc (BR: 11.85 ± 2.01, ER: 12.47 ± 2.34, AR: 12.21 ± 2.58) and albumin (BR: 39.78 ± 3.19, ER: 40.74 ± 2.26, AR: 40.56 ± 2.38) were not significantly affected by RIF. The number of patients with high OS (BR [ n = 13], ER [ n = 15], AR [ n = 14]) or low AOS (BR [ n = 12], ER [ n = 13], AR [ n = 13]) statuses were not significantly influenced by RIF. In conclusion, RIF did not induce any significant statistical or clinical changes in OS/AOS biomarkers or statuses in COPD patients.

The Effects of Ramadan-Fasting (RF) on Inflammatory and Hematological Indices of Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Male Patients: A Pilot Study.

No previous study has evaluated the effects of RF on inflammatory and hematological indices of COPD patients. The main objective of the present pilot study was to assess the effects of RF on some inflammatory and hematological indices measured in male patients with stable COPD. Fifteen COPD patients (mean ± SD of age: 71 ± 6 years) who fasted during Ramadan 2017 volunteered for the study. Three sessions (Before-Ramadan, End-Ramadan and After-Ramadan) were selected. Spirometry tests and blood samples were consistently performed 2.5-4.5 hr before the interruption of the fasting. Assessment sessions comprised: spirometry, inflammatory [erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR); C-reactive protein (CRP)] and hematological [red and white blood cells (RBC, WBC); hemoglobin; hematocrit; mean corpuscular volume; mean corpuscular hemoglobin; platelets] indices. Findings were analyzed by applying Friedman ANOVA. The median (lower-upper quartiles) of ESR (Before-Ramadan: 3 (2-9), End-Ramadan: 7 (0-13), After-Ramadan: 9 (5-15) mm/h) and CRP (Before-Ramadan: 20 (11-38), End-Ramadan: 15 (9-34), After-Ramadan: 20 (12-46) mg/L) were not significantly affected by RF. Among all the hematological indices, RF influenced only hemoglobin (Before-Ramadan: 14.4 ± 2.2, End-Ramadan: 13.4 ± 1.3, After-Ramadan: 12.2 ± 0.9 g/dL), hematocrit (Before-Ramadan: 45 ± 7, End-Ramadan: 40 ± 4, After-Ramadan: 39 ± 4%), RBC (Before-Ramadan: 5.1 ± 1.0, End-Ramadan: 4.6 ± 0.7, After-Ramadan: 4.4 ± 0.5 106/mm3) and WBC (Before-Ramadan: 8,673 ± 1,911, End-Ramadan: 7,840 ± 1,526, After-Ramadan: 9,507 ± 2,190/mm3). Compared to the Before-Ramadan session, the End-Ramadan session values for hemoglobin, hematocrit, RBC and WBC were lower. Compared to the After-Ramadan session, the End-Ramadan session values for hemoglobin and WBC were higher and lower, respectively. In conclusion, RF caused significant reduction in hemoglobin, hematocrit, RBC and WBC. However, it did not induce any significant changes in the CRP and ESR indices.