Serum Lipid Resistance to Oxidation and Uric Acid Levels in Subjects with
Down's s Syndrome
A. NAGYOVÁ, M. ŠUSTROVÁ, K. RAŠLOVÁ
Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Received February 17, 1999
Accepted July 21, 1999
Summary
In subjects with Down¢ s
syndrome (DS) increased oxidative stress and consequent oxidative cell damage
have been reported. The aim of this study was to assess whether the excessive
production of free oxygen radicals in these subjects can affect the
copper-induced lipid oxidation resistance measured in fresh whole serum. Since a
significant elevation of serum uric acid levels, which is an efficient
hydrophilic antioxidant, has been repeatedly reported in subjects with DS, we
studied the association between increased serum uric acid levels and lipid
resistance to oxidation measured directly in serum samples by monitoring the
change in absorbance at 234 nm. The group of subjects with Down¢
s syndrome consisted of 25 individuals (aged 18± 5
years). Control group included brothers and sisters of subjects with DS (n = 25,
aged 17± 7 years). In subjects with DS, the serum
lipid resistance to oxidation (lag time) was significantly higher than in
controls (p< 0.05) and a concomitant increase in
serum uric acid levels was observed (p< 0.001). A
significant positive correlation between lag time and serum uric acid
concentration was found in subjects with DS (r = 0.48, p<
0.05), while the positive correlation in the control group was not significant.
The results suggest that increased serum uric acid levels repeatedly observed in
subjects with DS may be associated with an enhanced resistance of serum lipids
to oxidation which is thought to play an important role in the atherogenic
process.
Key words
Down's syndrome ·
Serum lipid resistance · Uric acid
Reprint requests
Ing. A. Nagyová, CSc, Institute of Preventive and
Clinical Medicine, Limbová 14, 833 01 Bratislava, Slovak Republic. e-mail: nagyova@enigma.upkm.sanet.sk
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