title: Status of oxidant, antioxidantand serum enzymes in thalassaemic children receiving multiple blood transfusions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the levels of oxidant, antioxidant and serum enzymes in thalassaemic children receiving multiple blood transfusions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The case-control study was done from February to August 2012, and comprised thalassaemic children receiving multiple blood transfusions at Allied Hospital, Ali Zeb Foundation, and the Thalassaemia Centre in Hilal-e-Ahmar Hospital, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Healthy subjects were also screened for any related disease condition that could prejudice the results. Blood samples were analysed for the values of total oxidant status, total antioxidant capacity, serum malondialdehyde, catalase, paraoxonase, arylesterase, glutathione peroxidase and ceruloplasmin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 180 children in the study; 90(50%) cases and 90(50%) controls. Of the cases, 48(53.3%) were under-weight while the weight of 42(46.7%) was in the normal range. The values of total oxidant status and total antioxidant capacity were significantly (p<0.01) higher in thalassaemic children compared to normal values. Serum malondialdehyde and catalase levels were also considerably elevated (p<0.05), suggesting the increased activity of these enzymes. However, the concentrations of serum paraoxonase, arylesterase, glutathione peroxidase were significantly (p<0.01) lower in cases than the controls, displaying diminished activities during multiple blood transfusions in these patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple blood transfusions disconcert the levels of oxidants, antioxidants and serum enzymes of thalassaemic children. Oxidative damage is seen because of the increased iron overload in these patients. Hence, regular evaluation of oxidant and antioxidant status should be monitored in thalassaemic patients during initial few years of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asif
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine & Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Nafees Medical College, Isra University, Islamabad.
authors.forename: Zahid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Manzoor
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Shehzad
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Farooq
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine & Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Nafees Medical College, Isra University, Islamabad.
authors.forename: Shaukat Hussain
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Munawar
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, BahauddinZakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, BahauddinZakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Imran Ahmad
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D016877:Oxidants / Q000097:blood*; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016877:Oxidants; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D002570:Ceruloplasmin; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; C019734:arylesterase; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase
keywords: Thalassaemia, Multiple blood transfusions, Oxidative stress, Serum enzymes, Children.