Biochemical Study of Antioxidant Profile in Acute Ischemic Stroke

BACKGROUND : The present study was designed to measure changes in markers of antioxidant capacity (measured individually and total) following acute ischemic stroke. METHODS : The study included 135 subjects. 62 were controls and 73 were ischemic stroke patients diagnosed clinically and by CT scan of the brain. The cases were divided into two groups, The ischemic stroke patients with large vessel / cortical, subcortical infarcts (Group. I) and small vessel / lacunar infarcts (Group. II) based on CT scan of the brain. Serum vitamin E, vitamin C, superoxide dismutase, uric acid and total antioxidant capacity were estimated in all the subjects. RESULTS : Group I and Group II ischemic stroke cases had significantly lower levels of vitamin E, vitamin C and superoxide dismutase and significantly higher levels of uric acid compared to controls. The group I ischemic stroke cases had significantly lower levels of vitamin E, vitamin C, and superoxide dismutase and significantly higher levels of uric acid than group II ischemic stroke cases. Total antioxidant capacity strongly correlated with serum uric acid in cases CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that estimation of vitamin E, vitamin C, SOD, uric acid and total antioxidant capacity may be used as an indirect evidence of oxidative stress induced neuronal damage in acute ischemic stroke which may be useful for monitoring and optimizing antioxidant therapy.