title: Relationship between antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress in children with acute hepatitis A.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate in children with acute hepatitis A. According to our knowledge, there are no data about the blood levels of malondialdehyde (MDA, an indicator of oxidative stress) and nonenzymic antioxidants in children with acute hepatitis A.
  
  
  METHODS
  Whole blood MDA and reduced glutathione (GSH), serum beta-carotene, retinol, vitamin E and vitamin C levels were studied in 19 (10 females, 9 males) children with acute hepatitis A and in 29 (13 females, 16 males) healthy control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant difference between patients and controls for all parameters (P < 0.05). Lipid peroxidation marker MDA was significantly elevated (P < 0.001), while antioxidants beta-carotene, retinol and GSH were significantly decreased (all P < 0.001) in patients compared to healthy subjects. In addition, alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid levels were significantly lower in patients when compared to age and sex matched controls (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that hepatitis A virus induces oxidative stress in children with hepatitis A. This finding could be taken into consideration to improve the therapeutic approach in acute hepatitis A.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyon, Turkey. mcemek@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cemek
authors.forename: Semiha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dede
authors.forename: Fahri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bayiroglu
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Caksen
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cemek
authors.forename: Nihat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mert
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014815:Vitamins; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005978:Glutathione