Oxidant and antioxidant balance in stable COPD patients and during acute COPD exacerbations

Abstract

The oxidant-antioxidant imbalance is an important factor in the pathogenesis of COPD and yet there is a lack of evidence about total antioxidant levels of COPD patients, which may provide valuable information about the prognosis of the disease. In this study, we aimed to evaluate and compare the oxidant-antioxidant systems in healthy controls and in COPD patients with a stable disease and during an acute exacerbation. The study was conducted with 42 COPD patients diagnosed by a pulmonologist and 21 healthy volunteers. Pulmonary function tests were performed, arterial blood gas; white blood cell, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet, neutrophil%, MCV, CRP, and sedimentation rate results were compared with total antioxidant status, total oxidant status levels, and oxidative stress index. There was a statistically significant difference between the three groups in FEV1/FVC, FEV1, FVC, pCO2, pO2, % SpO2, white blood cell count, neutrophil %, CRP, and ESR values. In regard to oxidant-antioxidant system measurements there was no statistically significant difference in TAS levels, but there was a significant difference in TOS and oxidative stress index levels. Positive correlation between WBC and TOS was detected in the analysis performed and no correlation was found in other parameters. Our study showed that the measurement of TAS, TOS and OSI were meaningful parameters in the evaluation of oxidative imbalance. Oxidant stress was found to be significantly increased in all COPD patients, especially in patients with COPD exacerbations. Despite the increase in oxidative stress, no increase in antioxidant levels was observed in COPD patients.