[Determination of the antioxidant properties of the blood and their diagnostic significance in the elderly].

Abstract

Blood antioxidant system parameters were examined in elderly subjects. The authors have developed methods for measurements of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and lipid peroxidation products. They introduce a new factor 'F' that is supposed to characterize the blood antioxidant system; this factor is based on the values of catalase and superoxide dismutase activities and the intensity of lipid peroxidation. The authors come to a conclusion that the blood antioxidant and oxidant systems may be more accurately described with the use of this new factor F. In case of an abdominal tumor whole blood catalase level is elevated and superoxide dismutase activity significantly reduced. Factor F values were found extremely low before death, therefore this factor may be considered an important criterion of a critical state. The blood antioxidant parameters of patients with diabetes mellitus and essential hypertension did not much differ from those of age-matched healthy subjects.