Autoxidation of globin chains and iron overload are the suggested mechanisms for the increased oxidative stress in beta-thalassemia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extend of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status of patients with beta-thalassemia and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and compare the results with healthy subjects. Oxidant and antioxidant status of the children with beta-thalassemia major (n = 22) and iron deficiency anemia (n = 19) were studied. Healthy controls (n = 14) were age and sex matched. Fresh anticoagulated venous blood samples were obtained from all children. Conjugated diene (CD) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive (TBARS) substances were analyzed to indicate the oxidative parameters, whereas the erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured to show the antioxidant status of the children. Plasma TBARS and CD concentrations were elevated in beta-thalassemia compared to IDA. When compared to the controls, elevation in TBARS was significant. In the iron-deficiency group both TBARS and CD levels were decreased compared to the controls. SOD and GPx activities were increased in the beta-thalassemia group. SOD in beta-thalassemia was higher than both IDA and the controls and GPx activity was higher than the IDA group. In vivo lipid peroxidation was increased in children with beta-thalassemia major. This leads to a compensatory increase in antioxidant enzymes, whereas IDA does not lead to lipid peroxidation with a normal antioxidant enzyme activity.

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The oxidative effects were investigated of exhausting exercise in smokers, and the possible protective role of 400 mg day(-1) vitamin E (Vit E) supplementation over a period of 28 days. The subjects exercised to exhaustion including concentric-eccentric contractions following maximal cycling. The haematocrit and haemoglobin, leucocyte (WBC), plasma lactic acid (La) and malondialdehyde (MDA), erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), serum Vit E and ceruloplasmin (CER) concentrations were measured pre and post exercise. Supplementation increased Vit E concentrations 28% and 31% in the controls and the smokers, respectively. Cigarette smoking and/or Vit E supplementation did not influence plasma lipid peroxidation or the antioxidant status at rest. Exercise caused significant haemoconcentration in all groups. When the post-exercise concentrations were adjusted for haemoconcentration, a significant elevation in La concentrations due to exercise was observed in all groups. Similarly, there were significant elevations in the adjusted WBC counts in all groups except the Vit E supplemented controls. The MDA concentrations on the other hand, when adjusted for haemoconcentration, did not exhibit any difference due to exercise. Exercise did not affect the GPx and CER activities either, while causing a SOD activity loss in all groups except the Vit E supplemented non-smokers. Serum Vit E concentrations diminished significantly in all groups after exercise. Post-exercise plasma MDA and blood antioxidant concentrations were not altered by smoking. The results would suggest that plasma volume changes should always be taken into account when assessing post-exercise plasma concentrations and that smoking and exercise do not have an additional collective effect on plasma lipid peroxidation and the dose of Vit E administered was insufficient to maintain the serum concentrations after exercise.

In this study, the effect of free oxygen radicals on lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant role of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) in these reactions were investigated in haematoma fluid and venous blood samples in rabbits with femoral fracture. There were 21 male rabbits, divided into 3 groups. Conjugated dienes values (as optical density) were compared in venous blood of the rabbits in Group I taken preanaesthesia and after the onset of anaesthesia and the difference between these values proved to be insignificant (P > 0.05). A control group (Group 2) was given saline before fracture occurrence and the other group (Group 3) was injected with alpha-tocopherol 20 mg/kg intramuscularly. Venous blood samples and fracture haematoma fluids in both Group 2 and Group 3 were assayed biochemically. It was established that conjugated dienes values in fracture haematoma fluid in rabbits in the control group were higher than the values in the venous blood of the rabbits in the same group (P < 0.05). However, conjugated dienes values in the alpha-tocopherol injected group both in the haematoma fluid and in venous blood were reduced compared with those in the control group (P < 0.5). In view of the fact that ischaemia and reperfusion develop in fractured regions and that general body ischaemia develops following serious fractures of the extremities, we consider that prophylactic administration of antioxidants such as alpha-tocopherol may be beneficial in suppressing the destructive effects of free oxygen radicals in cells.

Objective: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the largest cause of morbidity and mortality in Turkey and in the World. Heart of Balçova Project is a community-based health promotion project that aims to reduce CVD incidence and prevalence through risk factor modification in the individual and population level. This paper presents results of the baseline survey that aimed to define CVD risk factors and risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD) in the Balçova population. Methods: The study population included 36,187 people over 30 years of age residing in Balçova in 2007. Individuals were interviewed at their homes. Anthropometrics and blood pressure were measured and in total 12914 fasting blood samples were collected for lipid and glucose analyses. CHD risk was estimated using Framingham risk equation. Student's t test, Chi-square for trend test and ANOVA were used to compare mean levels and percentages of risk factors between age groups and gender. Results: In total 5552 men and 10528 women participated in the study. Smoking prevalence was 38.6% in men and 26.8% in women. The prevalence of obesity was 29.4% among men and 44.2% among women and obesity prevalence increased until the age group 75 years old. While 14.6% of men and 12.6% of women had diabetes, 39.8% of men and 41.8% of women had hypertension. The prevalence of high total cholesterol was 56.0% in men and 50.6% in women. Men had a higher risk of developing CHD compared to women in the following 10 years (13.4% vs 2.5%). Conclusion: The prevalence of preventable risk factors for CHD is very high in Balçova population. Community-based interventions should be planned and implemented targeting both the high-risk individuals and whole population. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2013; 13: 9-17) Key words: Diabetes mellitus, obesity, smoking, Framingham risk score, coronary heart disease, prevalence