The assessment of oxidative stress parameter concentrations in children and youth with chronic gastritis and/or duodenitis and associated Helicobacter pylori infections

Introduction: Oxidative stress is a state of increased activity of oxygen free radicals which can lead to irreversible changes in the organism and tissue damage in various diseases. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) react with DNA, lipids, carbohydrates and proteins, damaging them by electron shift which leads to structural and functional changes. ROS produced in excess can damage cells, especially the intima of vessels. They also initiate peroxidation of fatty acids, destruction of lipid hydroxides and arachidic acid metabolites generation. This situation leads to the destruction of cell walls. Besides ROS increase, aggregation and denaturation of proteins occurs, leading to humoral resistance mechanism dysfunction of complement and immunoglobulins.
Aim: The aim of the study was to assess concentrations of pro-oxidative factors (malonyldialdehyde in erythrocytes, superoxide radical anion in the blood, and nitric oxide in the blood) in chosen diseases of the digestive tract.
Material and methods: 114 patients between 10 and 18 years of age (mean age 14.8 years) were divided into 4 groups: I – children and youth with chronic gastritis and/or duodenitis and associated Helicobacter pylori infection (n=23), II – children and youth with chronic gastritis and/or duodenitis and without associated H. pylori infection (n=24), III – control group – children and youth where mentioned diseases and other chronic dysfunctions and acute inflammation were excluded (n=67). Results were statistically analyzed.
Results: No statistically significant differences between the study groups and control group in concentrations of pro-oxidative parameters were found.
Conclusions: On the basis of obtained results it is suggested that pro-oxidative parameters do not play a role in chronic gastritis and/or duodenitis with or without H. pylori infection pathogenesis in children and youth. Due to the discrepancy between other authors’ studies and our study there is a need for further studies of this problem.