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Low-dose combination of fluvastatin and valsartan and, to a lesser extent low-dose valsartan alone, produced important anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. These results confirm and extend the potential of the "short-term, low-dose" preventive strategy.

The aim of the study is to compare oxidative stress in hemodialysis patients in controls and in rowers. The patients are a model of decreased antioxidant capacity, and the athletes (rowers) are a model of the highest antioxidant capacity due to their chronic adaptation to demanding training. Thirty-five subjects participated in the study, 9 patients with end-stage renal disease treated by hemodialysis, 12 healthy young subjects from the normal population, and 14 rowers. The antioxidant enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase, as well as non-transferrin-bound iron as a promoter of free radical damage, were determined. Blood analysis was taken in dialysis patients in the morning, before the dialysis procedure. There was significantly higher activity of catalase in dialysis patients (catalase 4.26 +/- 0.35 mkat/g Hb) compared to the controls (catalase 2.73 +/- 0.38 mkat/g Hb) and rowers (catalase 1.71 +/- 0.30 mkat/g Hb). Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly lower (10.42 +/- 1.46 microkat/g Hb) than in the controls (11.94 +/- 1.18 microkat/g Hb) and rowers (14.09 +/- 0.92 microkat/g Hb). There was no significant differences between glutathione peroxidase activities in the three groups. Superoxide dismutase and Se were higher in rowers than in dialysis patients (P < 0.05). The concentrations of both non-transferrin-bound iron and ferritin were significantly higher in dialysis patients. Hemodialysis patients might have increased oxidative stress, which is characterized by significantly higher erythrocyte enzyme activity of catalase and lower activity of superoxide dismutase. Top rowers had increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, perhaps because of adaptation during training, which was not the case in dialysis patients and controls.

The present study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant status in canine cancer patients. Patients with multicentric lymphoma, oral fibrosarcoma, mast cell tumor, malignant melanoma, appendicular osteosarcoma, nasal tumors and peripheral ameloblastoma were selected. Each group consisted of 6 patients. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and enzyme antioxidants: glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in serum and whole blood, respectively, and were compared to 31 healthy dogs. The results of the study showed a significant increase of CAT activity in tumor groups except in the patients with nasal tumors. SOD activity increased significantly in malignant melanoma, mast cell tumor, multicentric lymphoma and oral fibrosarcoma patients. Appendicular osteosarcoma and multicentric lymphoma patients showed significantly increased levels of GPX and TAC, respectively. Activities of CAT and SOD were significantly higher comparing the all 42 cancer patients with healthy dogs. Tumor patients showed significantly lower levels of haemoglobin when compared to healthy dogs. The increase of antioxidant enzyme activities and TAC in these animals suggest the activation of antioxidant defence mechanisms in different cancer diseases. Further studies involving more animals and other antioxidant parameters and oxidative stress markers are necessary.