title: Effect of eating on plasma radical-trapping antioxidant activity (TRAP) in patients with cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain the effects of eating on plasma antioxidant capacity in patients with liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen cirrhotic patients were compared to 18 age and sex-matched controls. TRAP was measured by a fluorometric assay after a 12 h fast, and 60, 120, and 180 min after the study participants had taken a drink formula food.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the fasting state, TRAP was higher in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (847+/-39 micromol/L, mean +/- SEM) in comparison to patients with viral cirrhosis (653+/-41) and to controls (758+/-26) (p<0.005). In cirrhotic patients, TRAP did not change in the post-absorptive state. In controls, TRAP decreased progressively, to a value of 719+/-21 (p<0.02), and the AUC of the delta-values of TRAP and of plasma insulin showed an inverse correlation (r = -0.52, p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In normal subjects, but not in cirrhotics, TRAP decreases in the post-absorptive state, probably in relationship with the activation of metabolic pathways.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Patologia e Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università degli Studi, Udine, Italy. pirisi@dpmsc.uniud.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirisi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Federico
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bortolotti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fabris
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falleti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soardo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gonano
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bartoli
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004435:Eating; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D005609:Free Radicals; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides