Oxidative stress in children with severe acute malnutrition between 6 months to 5 years of age

Abstract

Background: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) constitutes one of the major nutritional and health problems in children under five years of age in developing countries. It has a significant contribution to the mortality and morbidity in this age group of children. So, there is a need to look for the pathophysiology identifying events at cellular level to formulate better management strategies. The oxidative stress and a possible consequential accelerated apoptosis may contribute to pathophysiology in malnutrition. Markers of oxidative stress are Malondialdehyde levels (MDA), a byproduct of lipid peroxidation and antioxidants like Zinc and Glutathione (GSH). So the objective of study is to measure oxidative stress in hospitalized children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) between 6 months to 5 years of age through serum levels of Zinc, glutathione and MDA.Methods: This was a hospital based prospective case control study where 100 hospitalised children from 6 months to 5 years of age with severe acute malnutrition were selected along with 100, sex and age matched healthy controls from outpatient department. Oxidative Stress was analysed by measuring serum levels of Zinc, GSH and MDA. Control group was simultaneously analysed for similar parameters of oxidative stress.Results: Serum GSH and Zinc levels were found to be significantly lower while serum MDA level was found to be significantly higher in cases as compared to controls.Conclusions: Severe acute malnourished children had an increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant defence compared with healthy controls.

The impact of oxidative stress damage induced by the environmental stressors on COVID-19

“…In the schizophrenia model, the rats associated with prenatal famine were depicted by a higher level of oxidative damage [ 112 ]. In the severe acute malnutrition (SAM) model, the hospitalized children with SAM ( n = 100) exhibited oxidative stress depicted by significantly lower levels of Zn and GSH and elevated MDA compared to the healthy children ( n = 100) used as a control group [ 113 ]. These studies highlight the significance of host nutrition not only for improving the antioxidant capacity and the immune response but also for averting the viral mutations that could rise the viral pathogenicity.…”

Inferior Outcomes of Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction and Comorbid Protein‐Energy Malnutrition

“…First, during the infarction process, the malnourished heart might sustain more severe damage due to increased levels of oxidative stress generated as a result of PEM-mediated elevated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) secondary to deficiency of essential elements and amino acids required by antioxidant enzymes. [5][6][7] ROS is a major source of myocardial tissue damage during AMI and early in the recovery phase, during which the in-flowing blood generates more ROS and triggers ischemic reperfusion cardiomyocardial injury. 8,9 Secondly, patients with PEM are generally frail, with diminished muscle mass and capability to adequately recover significant damage after any type of injury.…”