Concentrations of superoxide dismutase and superoxide anion in blood of patients with respiratory infections and compromised immune systems.

To investigate the involvement of oxygen free radicals and their scavenger systems in the defenses of compromised hosts against pulmonary infections, we determined superoxide anion (SOA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC 1.15.1.1) concentrations in the blood of compromised hosts and noncompromised hosts, with or without pneumonia. In the compromised hosts without pneumonia (compromised controls), SOD concentrations were lower than in noncompromised hosts (healthy controls). However SOA values in compromised controls did not differ statistically from that in healthy controls. Similar changes were observed in noncompromised hosts with pneumonia. In compromised hosts with pneumonia, SOD concentrations were further decreased by pulmonary infections. By contrast, SOA values were increased in pneumonia. There were, however, no differences in the values for ceruloplasmin among all the groups. The values for alpha 2-macroglobulin and alpha1-antitrypsin were within normal limits in compromised controls but were greater in compromised hosts with pneumonia. These results suggest that a decreased activity concentration of SOD in compromised controls may be partly responsible for the depression of the host's immune defenses.