[Study of oxidative stress in the elderly].
OBJECTIVE
Determine the oxidative stress status and its significance in elderly subjects.


METHODS
Six parameters marking oxidative stress evaluated in 52 elderly patients (mean age 85 +/- 6 years; range 74 to 98) admitted to a medium-term and long-term nursing home (n = 30) or a hospital ward (n = 22) were compared with those in 30 disease-free young subjects (age range 20-40 years). Plasma levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances vitamin E and selenium and activity of free-radical protective enzymes (erythrocyte superoxide dismutase, plasma and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase) were assessed.


RESULTS
Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were higher and superoxide dismutase, erythrocyte and plasma glutathione peroxidase, and plasma selenium were lower in elderly patients than in young controls. There was no difference in vitamin E levels. In the nursing home population, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase was correlated with erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase and vitamin E, plasma glutathione peroxidase with erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase, vitamin E and selenium and erythrocyte g peroxidase, vitamin E and selenium and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase with vitamin E. Only the correlation between erythrocyte and plasma glutathione peroxidase was found in the hospitalized population. These levels remained unchanged for a 30 day period in individual patients.


CONCLUSIONS
"Oxidative stress" assessed by six parameters was thus observed in the elderly population and could be considered as a "biological marker of ageing". Supplementation with selenium or other anti-oxidants could be proposed.
Congy
F
F
Centre de Moyen et Long Séjour, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Paris.
Bonnefont-Rousselot
D
D
Dever
S
S
Delattre
J
J
Emerit
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood
D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014810:Vitamin E; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D012643:Selenium
Etude du stress oxydant chez le sujet agé.