title: Oxidative stress and enzymatic antioxidant status in rheumatoid arthritis: a case control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic multisystem disease of unknown cause. Formation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxides as a result of disease activity may play an important role. Oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant status are the hallmarks in patients of RA as observed in recent years. The objectives of the study was to determine oxidative stress by measuring malondialdehyde and enzymatic antioxidant status by estimating superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase in patients of RA and then comparing with healthy individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study comprises of 40 RA cases who were clinically diagnosed and confirmed by laboratory tests, attending KLE Society's Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Research Centre, Belgaum. Southern India attached to J. N. Medical College. between September 2007 to August 2008. All the patients were in the age group of 40-60 years including both the sexes. Biochemical parameters like malondialdehyde, enzymatic antioxidants like superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase were estimated in cases (40) and controls (40).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean level of blood malondialdehyde (in nmol/ml) in controls was 6.19 +/- 0.96 and 11.48 +/- 0.76 in cases. The mean level of superoxide dismutase (IU/g of Hb) in controls was 948.32 +/- 99.88 and 443.68 +/- 111.69 in the cases. The mean glutathione reductase level (in IU/g of Hb) in controls was 8.91 +/- 1.04 and 2.96 +/- 0.79 in the cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed that there was an increased oxidative stress and a decreased antioxidant defense in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, J. N. Medical College, Belgaum, Karnataka, India. desaiprakash55@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Prakash B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manjunath
authors.forename: Sumangala
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kadi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chetana
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanishree
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase