May chronic childhood constipation cause oxidative stress and potential free radical damage to children?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether chronic childhood constipation (CCC) may cause oxidative stress and potential free radical damage to children, and to explore the mechanisms by which CCC may cause oxidative stress and potential free radical damage to chronic constipation patients (CCPs).


METHODS
Sixty CCPs and sixty healthy child volunteers (HCVs) whose ages, gender and others were matched for the CCPs were enrolled in a randomized controlled study, in which levels of vitamin C (VC) and vitamin E (VE) in plasma as well as activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in erythrocytes were determined by spectrophotometric analytical methods.


RESULTS
Compared with average values of the above biochemical parameters in the HCVs group, the average values of VC and VE in plasma as well as those of SOD and CAT in erythrocytes in the CCPs group were significantly decreased (P < 0.0001). Linear regression and bivariate correlation analysis showed that with prolonged course of the CCPs, the levels of VC and VE in plasma as well as the activities of SOD and CAT in erythrocytes in the CCPs were decreased gradually (P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings in the present study suggest that chronic childhood constipation causes oxidative stress and potential free radical damage to children with chronic constipation.
Wang
Ji-Yue
JY
Affiliated Children's Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 57 Zhugan Lane, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang, China. wjiyue@mail.hz.zj.cn
Wang
Ye-Ling
YL
Zhou
Sheng-Li
SL
Zhou
Jun-Fu
JF
D000293:Adolescent; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003248:Constipation; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011897:Random Allocation; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood
D005609:Free Radicals; D014810:Vitamin E; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid