Erythrocyte oxidative damage in chronic fatigue syndrome.
BACKGROUND
It has been hypothesized that a link exists between erythrocyte metabolism (particularly redox metabolism) and erythrocyte shape and that both are related to erythrocyte deformability. The aim of this research is to confirm the results of earlier studies and to investigate a correlation between erythrocyte morphology and erythrocyte oxidative damage in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).


METHODS
Reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), methemoglobin (metHb) and 2,3-diphosphoglyceric acid (2,3-DPG) were measured in 31 patients suffering from CFS and 41 healthy control subjects. Scanning electron microscopic studies of the erythrocytes from both groups were also carried out.


RESULTS
There was evidence of oxidative damage in CFS with statistically significant increases in 2,3-DPG (p < 0.05), metHb (p < 0.005) and MDA (p < 0.01). The CFS patients in this study also had significantly more stomatocytes in their blood than the normal subjects (p < 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a strong likelihood that the increase in erythrocyte antioxidant activity is associated with the presence of stomatocytes. The results of this study provide further evidence for the role of free radicals in the pathogenesis of CFS and a link between erythrocyte metabolism and erythrocyte shape.
Richards
Ross S
RS
School of Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Charles Sturt University, NSW, Australia. rorichards@csu.edu.au
Wang
Lexin
L
Jelinek
Herbert
H
D019794:2,3-Diphosphoglycerate / Q000097:blood; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008706:Methemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress
D019794:2,3-Diphosphoglycerate; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D008706:Methemoglobin; D005978:Glutathione