Oxidative Stress Indices Among Patients With Sickle Cell Anaemia in Kano Northwestern Nigeria

Pro-oxidant-antioxidant imbalance mediates the oxidative damage of critical biomolecules such as lipids, proteins and nucleic acids in living organisms. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in the cells has been implicated in the Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) complications. Improved antioxidant status minimizes oxidative damage and this may delay or prevent pathological changes. This study conducted a preliminary comparative analysis of enzymatic antioxidants, non-enzymatic antioxidants, essential trace metals and oxidative stress status in patients with SCA and healthy controls attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Northwestern Nigeria. Serum catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), malondialdehyde (MDA), copper (Cu), Iron (Fe) and vitamins Aand C were determined in 40 patients with SCAand 20 healthy control subjects. The results showed that MDA level was statistically higher (p<0.05) in patients with SCA than in controls. Serum catalase activity in the control group was however, not statistically different (p>0.05) compared to patients with SCA. Serum Gpx activity was statistically lowerin patients with SCAthan in control group. The serum levels of antioxidant vitamins (A and C), Cu, Zn and Fe were found significantly lower (p<0.05) in patients with SCAthan in the control group. This study revealed that the decrease in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant levels in patients with SCA might be due to the compensatory antioxidants measures against excessive free radicals generation in patients with SCA as indicated by the high levels of MDA. It might be due to this increase of oxidative stress that complications are observed in SCA. Since the risk of oxidative cell damage is increased in SCA, periodic antioxidant status assessment and therapy is justified to reduce the risk of long term complications that may arise due to pro-oxidant-antioxidant imbalance.