Antioxidant vitamin levels in sickle cell disorders.
BACKGROUND
Sickle cell disorder is a haemoglobinopathy prevalent in the Vidharbha region of Maharashtra, central India. With recent evidence of oxidative stress in sickle haemoglobinopathy, a possible deficiency of antioxidant vitamins was suspected.


METHODS
We measured plasma vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene levels in persons with heterozygous (n=80) and homozygous sickle cell state (n=20), and suitable healthy controls for these groups (n=100 and 66, respectively) in a community-based study in the villages near our institution.


RESULTS
Subjects with heterozygous sickle cell trait had lower vitamin E levels than their respective controls (p < 0.05). Subjects with homozygous sickle cell disease had lower levels of all three vitamins (p < 0.05). Vitamins E and C levels showed a significant positive correlation in both forms of sickle cell disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that there is depletion of the antioxidant vitamins, particularly in severe forms of sickle cell disorder. A trial of administration of therapeutic doses of vitamin E in this condition is warranted.
Ray
Debes
D
Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, Wardha 442102, Maharashtra.
Deshmukh
Pradeep
P
Goswami
Kalyan
K
Garg
Neelam
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D001206:Ascorbic Acid Deficiency; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000172:deficiency*
D000975:Antioxidants; D019207:beta Carotene; D001205:Ascorbic Acid