Analysis of antioxidant enzyme activity and magnesium level in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Abstract

There is an increasing interest in the relationship of hypomagnesemia and oxidative stress in pulmonary diseases. It seems to be clinically relevant to assess prooxidant/antioxidant balance and its correlation with magnesium level in COPD. In this study, there were investigated the antioxidant enzymes activity and magnesium plasma level in a group of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and in the control group. The study group consisted of 41 patients admitted to hospital for ambulatory medical treatment in pulmonary department of the Medical University of Lublin. The control group was made up of 20 patients who were admitted for control examinations. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity were assessed in red blood cells using kinetics methods. Significantly decreased activity of CAT in COPD, insignificantly decreased activity of GPX and insignificantly increased activity of SOD were detected. Patients with COPD also showed the lowered plasma magnesium level. The conclusion is that COPD is accompanied by a lowered magnesium level and an alteration in antioxidant status due to possible oxidative stress in this disease.