The role of free radicals in fibromyalgia is controversial. In this study, 85 female patients with primary fibromyalgia and 80 age-, height-, and weight-matched healthy women were evaluated for oxidant/antioxidant balance. Malondialdehyde is a toxic metabolite of lipid peroxidation used as a marker of free radical damage. Superoxide dismutase is an intracellular antioxidant enzyme and shows antioxidant capacity. Pain was assessed by visual analog scale. Tender points were assessed by palpation. Age, smoking, body mass index (BMI), and duration of disease were also recorded. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher and superoxide dismutase levels significantly lower in fibromyalgic patients than controls. Age, BMI, smoking, and duration of disease did not affect these parameters. We found no correlation between pain and number of tender points. In conclusion, oxidant/antioxidant balances were changed in fibromyalgia. Increased free radical levels may be responsible for the development of fibromyalgia. These findings may support the hypothesis of fibromyalgia as an oxidative disorder.

Malaria is still a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. The increase in lipid peroxidation reported in malaria infection and antioxidant status may be a useful marker of oxidative stress during malaria infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of antioxidant enzymes against toxic reactive oxygen species in patients infected with Plasmodium vivax and healthy controls. Malondialdehyde levels, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities were determined in 91 P. vivax patients and compared with 52 controls. Malondialdehyde levels, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities were 8.07±2.29 nM/ml, 2.69±0.33 U/ml, and 49.6±3.2 U/g Hb in the patient group and 2.72±0.50 nM/ml, 3.71±0.47 U/ml, and 62.3±4.3 U/g Hb in the control group, respectively. Malondialdehyde levels were found statistically significant in patients with vivax malaria higher than in healthy controls (P<0.001). On the other hand, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities were found to be significantly lower in vivax malaria patients than in controls (P<0.05). There was an increase in oxidative stress in vivax malaria. The results suggested that antioxidant defense mechanisms may play an important role in the pathogenesis of P. vivax.

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Lead is considered one of the major environmental toxicants that causes hematological, neurological, and gastrointestinal dysfunction. In this study, the authors examined the relationship between lead and lipid peroxidation, lead and Na(+)-K(+) ATPase activity, and lead and Ca(+2) ATPase activity in blood of workers. The working group consisted of 30 male workers occupationally exposed to lead at least for 10 years. The control group consisted of 20 healthy male individuals not involved with job-related lead exposures. Blood lead content of the control group and the working group were 10.0 +/- 1.8 microg/dl and 317.3 +/- 47.6 microg/dl, respectively. Malondialdehyde (MDA) value of the working group (0.57 +/- 0.30 nmol MDA/ml) was significantly greater than MDA value of the control goup (0.17 +/- 0.02 nmol MDA/ml). In the working group, both Na(+)-K(+) ATPase activity (105.0 +/- 47.0 nmol Pi. mg protein(-1) x h(-1)) and Ca(+2) ATPase activity (58.0 +/- 40.0 nmol Pi. mg protein(-1) x h(-1)) were lower compared with the corresponding values of Na(+)-K(+) ATPase activity (247.0 +/- 41.0 nmol Pi. mg protein(-1) x h(-1)) and Ca(+2) ATPase activity (230.0 +/- 41.0 nmol Pi. mg protein(-1) x h(-1)) of normal controls. The results show that lead exposure causes inhibition of Na(+)-K(+) ATPase and Ca(+2) ATPase activities and also results in increased lipid peroxidation.