Antioxidant therapy of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the Far North

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate human antioxidant defense at various COPD stages and to substantiate administration of vitamins C and E as a part of complex treatment of COPD at the Far North. We followed-up 92 COPD patients aged 20 to 50 yrs (of them, 42 males). The control group consisted of 58 healthy persons of 20 to 45 yrs of age. A total blood antioxidant activity (TAA) was detected using G.I.Klebanov's method. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase levels in erythrocyte membrane were assessed with chemiluminescent methods. Lipid peroxide (LPO) activity was measured by malone dialdehyde (MDA) plasma concentration. We also investigated hepatic and renal functions, protein, lipoid, and carbohydrate metabolism. Patients with exacerbation of stage II COPD had increased LPO activity (2.97 ± 0.12 nmol/ml compared to 1.86 ± 0.09 nmol/ml in stable phase and 1.36 ± 0.06 nmol/ml in controls) with TAA increased by 40 %. The stage III COPD patients demonstrated more significant growth of LPO activity (2.04 ± 0.08 nmol/ml in stable phase and 3.44 ± 0.15 nmol/ml in exacerbation; p < 0.05) accompanied by less prominent increase in TAA. Early stages of COPD were characterized by increased levels of antioxidant enzymes (2.44 ± 0.06 μg/g of Hb for SOD and 8.30 ± 0.15 –g/g of Hb for catalase compared to 1.56 ± 0.02 and 7.36 ± 0.10 μg/g Hb in controls). At the later COPD stages, the SOD level was less high and catalase concentration even decreased. COPD patients had increased concentrations of oxyproline (1.76 ± 0.48 g/ml to 2.80 ± 0.50 μg/ml; р<0.05 for both when compared to the controls) and α1-antitripsin (for stage II COPD, 284 ± 47 μg/ml in stable phase and 240 ± 20 μg/ml in exacerbation, for stage III COPD, 245 ± 18 μg/ml and 223 ± 15 μg/ml, respectively). Administration of vitamins C and E 25 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg of body weight, respectively, as a part of a complex therapy of the disease exacerbation resulted in shortening of exacerbation, improvement in clinical status and lung function, TAA activation, and lowering of LPO activity. Therefore, COPD is accompanied by significant activation of oxidantive processes, which depend on the stage and phase of the disease. The results allow including antioxidant vitamins in programs of treatment of COPD to be recommended.