Evaluation of oxidative status in patients with brucellosis.

Oxidative stress can be defined as an increase in oxidants and/or a decrease in antioxidant capacity. We aimed to determine total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total peroxide, malondialdehyde and catalase levels in plasma samples, and calculation of oxidative stress index (OSI) in patients with brucellosis to evaluate their oxidative status using a novel automated method. Sixty-nine patients with brucellosis and 69 healthy control subjects were included in the present study. Plasma levels of total peroxide and malondialdehyde were significantly increased in patients as compared with healthy controls (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). In contrast, TAC level was significantly lower in patients as compared with controls (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the catalase results of the two groups (p>0.05). OSI level was significantly increased in patients as compared with healthy controls (p<0.001). In conclusion, oxidants were increased and antioxidants were decreased in patients with brucellosis. Oxidative stress was increased in patients with brucellosis.