title: Comparison of plasma antioxidant levels in middle-aged and old male with idiopatic osteoporosis: preliminary data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With the purpose of evaluating the role of oxidative stress (OS) in male idiopatic osteoporosis, we have evaluated plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in patients classified according to age (< 65 or ≥ 65 yrs), with normal hormone values and in age-matched healthy control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  TAC was evaluated with a colorimetric method, using the system metamyoglobin-H2O2 and the chromogen ABTS; the latency time (LAG, sec) in the appearance of ABTS radical species is proportional to antioxidant content of the system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found slightly increased LAG values in middle-aged patients, compared with age-matched controls, probably expression of a compensatory mechanism to OS; on the contrary aged patients showed significantly lower LAG values in comparison with age-matched controls, suggesting a defective compensatory mechanism and, therefore, a risk for oxidative damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OS could be a possible mechanism underlying male osteoporosis, both in middle-aged and aged patients, but compensatory mechanisms seem to be defective in the last group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Endocrinology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. emeucci@rm.unicatt.it.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raimondo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Segni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Persano
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Geronimo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Silvestrini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pontecorvi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meucci
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Tamburrelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants