Evaluation of Some Antioxidants in tuberculosis Patients

Objective: Serum levels of vitamins C, E, selenium , malondialdehyde(MDA), activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase(GPx) and glutathione reductase (GRx) in individuals with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection was investigated. Methods: 251 individuals consisting 120 treatment naive individuals with active TB [26 (TB+HIV+) and 12 malaria parasite (MP) and TB (TB+MP+) co-infection, 82 HIV negative (TB+HIV−)], 26 Latent TB (LTB) and 105 apparently healthy control (AHC). TB infection was determined by Ziehl-Neelsen sputum smeared microscopy and gene Xpert. MP was confirmed by Giemsa staining technique, HIV by immuno-chromatographic method. Analytes were evaluated spectrophotometrically, but selenium was by atomic absorption spectrometer. SPSS version 21 ANOVA was used for statistical analyses. Results: The mean levels of vitamins E, C and selenium were significantly lower in individuals with TB infections compared with AHC (p<0.05). Significantly higher differences were observed in MDA levels in TB infections than in AHC (p<0.05). Significantly lower differences existed in the mean levels of vitamin C and selenium in LTBI than in control, MDA was significantly higher in the same group (p<0.05). The mean levels of vitamin E in TB+HIV+ (1.57±1.30) and TB+MP+ co-infections (2.23±1.70) were significantly lower compared with those with TB+(7.01±3.40)(p<0.05).The mean SOD, catalase and GPx activities in active tuberculosis, TB+HIV+ and TBMP co-infections were significantly lower than in the control (p<0.05). The mean GRx activity in AHC, active TB, TB+HIV+ and TB+MP+ co-infections were significantly lower than in LTBI(p<0.05). Conclusions: Glutathione reductase may have prognostic potential in the differential screening for latent tuberculosis.