Erythrocyte antioxidative enzymes activities in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon alpha-2a and ribavirin

Lidija Dragoljub Popović Dragonjić; Maja Vlastimir Jovanović; Tatjana Petar Cvetković; Miodrag Živojin Vrbić; Biljana Novica Kocić; Marina Milisav Đorđević Spasić; Aleksandar Žarko Ranković

doi:10.2298/VSP150904277P

Lidija Dragoljub Popović Dragonjić Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center Niš, Niš, Serbia Faculty of Medicine, University in Nis, Niš, Serbia
Maja Vlastimir Jovanović Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center Niš, Niš, Serbia Faculty of Medicine, University in Niš, Niš, Serbia
Tatjana Petar Cvetković Institute of Nephrology and Haemodialysis, Clinical Center Niš, Niš, Serbia Faculty of Medicine, University in Niš, Niš, Serbia
Miodrag Živojin Vrbić Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center Niš, Niš, Serbia Faculty of Medicine, University in Niš, Niš, Serbia
Biljana Novica Kocić Institute of Public Health of Niš, Niš, Serbia Faculty of Medicine, University in Niš, Niš, Serbia
Marina Milisav Đorđević Spasić Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center Niš, Niš, Serbia
Aleksandar Žarko Ranković Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center Niš, Niš, Serbia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2298/VSP150904277P

Keywords: hepatitis c, erythrocytes, oxidative stress, antioxidants, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, interferon-alpha, ribavirin,

Abstract

Background/Aim. In hepatitis C virus infection, oxidative stress and antioxidant imbalance are major triggers for the disease occurrence and its progression. The aim of the research was to determine the erythrocyte antioxidative enzymes activities, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT), before and after therapy with pegylated interferon alpha-2a and ribavirin and to evaluate their clinical significance as potential diagnostic markers of sustained virological response (SVR). Methods. The study included 53 patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and 56 healthy controls. SOD, GPx, CAT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were measured in patients both before and after the treatment. Results. SOD, GPx and CAT activities prior to the treatment were significantly lower in CHC patients compared to the controls (p < 0.001), and they were significantly higher after the treatment (p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation existed between SOD, GPx, and CAT activites, before and after the treatment (p < 0.001) and with those of aminotransferases prior to the treatment (p < 0.001). After the treatment, only GPx activity showed significant negative correlation with that of aminotransferases (p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for SOD, GPx and CAT showed following values: area under the curve of 0.975, 0.988, and 0.817 respectively; sensitivity of 93.5%, 71.7%, 100% respectively and specificity of 100% for all, respectively. Forty six SVR achievers had significant increase of SOD, GPx and CAT activities (p < 0.001 for all), unlike 7 SVR non-achievers (p = 0.31, p = 0.717, p = 0.85, respectively). Conclusion. Oxidative stress is the initiator of onset and progression of CHC. The combined antiviral therapy leads to the restoration of antioxidant balance. GPx, SOD and CAT may be diagnostic markers of CHC treatment outcome.