Abstract
BackgroundAnorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious psychosomatic disorder with unclear pathomechanisms. Metabolic dysregulation is associated with disruption of redox homeostasis that might play a pivotal role in the development of AN. The aim of our study was to assess oxidative status and carbonyl stress in plasma, urine and saliva of patients with AN and healthy controls.MethodsPlasma, spot urine, and saliva were collected from 111 girls with AN (aged from 10 to 18 years) and from 29 age-matched controls. Markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status were measured using spectrophotometric and fluorometric methods.ResultsPlasma advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were significantly higher in patients with AN than in healthy controls (by 96, and 82%, respectively). Accordingly, urinary concentrations of AOPP and fructosamines and salivary concentrations of AGEs were higher in girls with AN compared with controls (by 250, and 41% in urine; by 92% in saliva, respectively). Concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in saliva were 3-times higher in the patients with AN than in the controls. Overall antioxidants were lower in plasma of girls with AN compared to the controls, as shown by total antioxidant capacity and ratio of reduced and oxidized glutathione (by 43, and 31%, respectively).ConclusionsThis is the first study assessing wide range of markers of oxidative status in plasma, urine and saliva of the patients with AN. We showed that both, higher levels of markers of oxidative stress and lower antioxidants play a role in redox disruption. Restoration of redox homeostasis might be of the clinical relevance
Highlights
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious mental disorder characterized by an intense fear of weight gain and by a disturbed body image, which motivates severe dietary restriction or other weight loss behaviours
A potential role of oxidative stress caused by metabolic disruption in the etiology of anorexia nervosa was already described in plasma or blood components
This study aimed to investigate whether redox imbalance could be detected even in alternative body fluids of patients with anorexia nervosa - urine and saliva
Summary
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious mental disorder characterized by an intense fear of weight gain and by a disturbed body image, which motivates severe dietary restriction or other weight loss behaviours (e.g. purging, excessive physical activity). Metabolic dysregulation and homeostasis disruption that are directly attributable to extreme weight loss and malnutrition play an important role in dermatological, osteological [2], neuroendocrine [3], gastrointestinal [4], cardiovascular, and immune system disorders [5] leading to premature death [2], but precise pathomechanisms are not fully understood. Oxidative stress may damage the biomolecules, impair the cell structures, and deteriorate the organ functions (Fig. 1) [7]. The aim of our study was to assess oxidative status and carbonyl stress in plasma, urine and saliva of patients with AN and healthy controls
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