title: Oxidative stress in ischaemic stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Production of reactive oxygen species after ischaemic stroke may enhance tissue damage through multiple molecular pathways.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we examined the serum levels of lipoperoxide and hydroperoxide, conjugated dienes and total antioxidant capacity levels in 50 patients with acute ischaemic stroke (T0) to evaluate the possibility to use them as specific biochemical markers for cerebral ischaemia. Determinations were repeated after a month (T1) to correlate their relative changes with clinical evolution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lipoperoxide, hydroperoxide and conjugated diene levels in platelets were significantly higher in the early stages with respect to their late evaluation. On the contrary, total antioxidant capacity showed a significant increase at T1 with respect to T0. A significant negative correlation between total antioxidant capacity and NIHSS score at T0 and T1 was found. There was a significant positive correlation between lipoperoxide, hydroperoxide and conjugated dienes levels and NIHSS score at T0 and at T1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that changes in free radical generation and consequent oxidative stress may have a role in the pathogenesis of acute ischaemic lesions. The activation of defence mechanisms like total antioxidant capacity could be involved in the limitation of ischaemic damage progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy. l_nanetti@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nanetti
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raffaelli
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vignini
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perozzi
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silvestrini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartolini
authors.forename: Leandro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Provinciali
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mazzanti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000097:blood; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide