title: Potential oxidative stress in children with chronic constipation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential oxidative stress in children with chronic constipation and to explore its mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy children with chronic constipation and 70 age- and sex-matched healthy children were enrolled in a randomized controlled study. Plasma levels of vitamins C and E, activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase and lipoperoxide level in erythrocytes were determined by spectrophotometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with healthy children whose vitamin C, vitamin E, superoxide dismutase, catalase and lipoperoxide were 58.35+/-14.42 micromol/L, 27.15+/-6.55 micromol/L, 2 206+/-171 U/(g.Hb), 327.3+/-82.2 K/(g.Hb) and 19.18+/-4.27 nmol/(g.Hb) respectively, the levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, the activity of superoxide dismutase, and catalase in the children with chronic constipation significantly decreased [46.59+/-11.51 micromol/L, 20.65+/-4.80 micromol/L, 1943+/-147 U/(g.Hb) and 269.3+/-67.8 K/(g.Hb), respectively P<0.01], while the lipoperoxide significantly increased [25.22+/-5.01 nmol/(g.Hb), P<0.01]. With a prolonged course of disease, the levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the children with chronic constipation gradually decreased, while the level of lipoperoxide gradually increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic constipation can cause potential oxidative stress in children.
authors.affiliation: Second Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China. jfzhou@zju.edu.cn
authors.forename: Jun-Fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jian-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Sheng-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ji-Yue
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003248:Constipation / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D014810:Vitamin E; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid