Obesity (Ob) is an accepted major risk factor for the metabolic syndrome (MetS), a combination of at least three of five risk factors, which predispose to high oxidative stress (OS), but all obese do not show symptoms of MetS. There is dearth of data comparing OS homeostasis of severely obese adults with and without MetS, and need for biomarkers to help in differential diagnosis. Erythrocytic lipid and protein damage markers, malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PCO), antioxidant enzymes erythrocytic superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase (CAT), plasma glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) as ferric-reducing-ability-of-plasma (FRAP) were compared to understand OS homeostasis among 102 severely Ob (body mass index > 30), 102 Ob with severe (z-score > 2) MetS as per National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines and 100 healthy non-obese Controls. MDA/PCO and all antioxidant enzymes were lowest for ObMetS, followed by Ob, indicating greater damage to protein moieties of the erythrocytic membrane. Multiple regression analysis confirmed z-scores > 2 as significant predictor of lowered enzymes and TAC. Receiver Operator Curve analysis predicted that TAC was the most potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of MetS with an Odds Ratio of 88.5 indicating the high probability that FRAP would be low for ObMetS (z-score > 2) than for Ob with BMI > 30, but z-scores < 1. TAC is qualified as the most effective biomarker to distinguish between severely obese respondents with and without metabolic syndrome, and as a useful candidate for study of homeostatic breakdown in metabolic syndrome and the importance of z-score in assessment of MetS in obese respondents.

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An interdisciplinary review of the literature portrayed stress as an important cause for nicotine abuse among university students. Independent studies have shown nicotine to contribute perceived stress (PS) and oxidative stress (OS) but its mediation relation with PS and OS remains unclear and inspires active exploration. A prominent study on the relationship of smoking with perceived stress and coping styles in adolescents motivates to study the effect of nicotine abuse (NA) on PS, CSE, and OS indices among young adult university graduates. The study sample included 45 university graduates with 1-3 years of tobacco abuse history and 50 age-matched controls. The respondents were compared for perceived stress scale (PSS) score, coping self-efficacy (CSE) score, erythrocyte malondialdehyde (E_MDA), plasma MDA (P_MDA), erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (E_SOD), and plasma catalase (P_CAT). The study found NA increased the PS but not the CSE. Linear regression analysis showed a strong inverse relation between the PSS Score and CSE Score in the controls. Among the biochemical indices of OS, only P_MDA showed a significant difference between the groups. Multiple regressions showed a significant positive association of E_MDA with PSS Score and a significant negative association of E_SOD with PSS Score across the groups. Further, the mediation model is used to show a significant relationship between NA and PSS Score by Combined MDA (C_MDA). The result of study suggested that nicotine increases PS and reduces CSE. P_MDA is an important biochemical marker of nicotine abuse. E_MDA and E_SOD are important predictors of PS. These findings are important for psychobiochemical interventions in the management of NA. Therefore, this study encourages an interdisciplinary discourse on nicotine abuse with psychological and biochemical measures.

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