The Status of Antioxidants and Oxidative Damage in Patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Objectives: COVID-19 is an important viral disease that affects human health significantly. It has recently become widespread worldwide. The oxidant/antioxidant balance has an important effect on viral infections. This study investigated superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione (GSH), total thiol (TT), native thiol (NT), disulphide (DS), oxidative DNA damage, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in COVID-19 patients.
 Material and methods: 35 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and 35 healthy volunteers at Dursun Odabaş Medical Center were included in the study. Levels of GSH, GPx, SOD, NT, TT and DS were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the serum samples. MDA and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine/106deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG/106dG) were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) in the serum samples.
 Results: SOD, GSH-PX, GSH, NT and TT levels were lower in the COVID-19 patient group compared to the healthy control group, while the levels of DS and 8-OHdG/106dG were significantly higher (p=0.001). In addition, there were a negative correlation between 8-OHdG/106dG and GSH, NT and TT, while there was a positive correlation with DS.
 Conclusion: This study revealed that SOD, GPX, MDA, 8-OHdG, and DS increased and GSH, NT, and TT decreased in COVID-19 patients. These results revealed that COVID-19 patients have reduced levels of antioxidant proteins and increased oxidative stress markers.