Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences

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Volume 25

April - June 2009 (Part-II)

Number 3


 

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Plasma neopterin and peroxide levels in pulmonary
tuberculosis patients on chemotherapy with or
without micronutrient supplementation

Akiibinu MO1, Arinola OG2, Ogunyemi EO3

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Neopterin and H2O2 are products of cellular (macrophage) activation. The exact roles of these secretions by activated macrophages in protection against tuberculosis remain unclear. In the present study, the changes in the levels of neopterin and total plasma peroxides (TPP) were assessed in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients on chemotherapy with (C+M) or without (C- M) micronutrient supplementation.

Methodology: Thirty-eight newly diagnosed PTB patients were selected for this study. Twenty patients were treated with anti-tuberculosis drugs and micronutrient (C+M) while 18 PTB-patients were treated with only anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy (C-M). Plasma neopterin and TPP concentrations were measured by enzymes linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and colorimetric method respectively.

Results: All PTB patients had elevated neopterin (p=0.02) and TPP (p=0.00) levels when compared with the non-PTB controls. Plasma level of neopterin and TPP declined significantly in C+M after 2 weeks of treatment (p= 0.00, p=0.01 respectively) and also after 4 weeks of treatment (p = 0.01 and p=0.00 respectively) when compared with baseline levels before treatment. No significant change was observed in the levels of neopterin and TPP in C-M after 4 weeks of treatment when compared with baseline value before treatment.

Conclusion: Micronutrient supplementation enhanced the decline in the levels of neopterin and TPP after two weeks of treatment. Chemotherapy alone did not produce significant reduction. Therefore, micronutrient supplementation of PTB drugs with synthetic antioxidants or naturally occurring ones (fruits and vegetables) should be attempted.

KEY WORDS: Pulmonary TB, Chemotherapy, Micronutrient supplementation.

Pak J Med Sci    April - June 2009 (Part-II)    Vol. 25 No. 3    380-385

How to cite this article:

Akiibinu MO, Arinola OG, Ogunyemi EO. Plasma neopterin and peroxide levels in pulmonary tuberculosis patients on chemotherapy with or without micronutrient supplementation. Pak J Med Sci 2009;25(3): 380-385.


1. Akiibinu MO,
2. Arinola OG,
2: College of Medicine,
University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
3. Ogunyemi EO,
1,3: Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology,
College of Health Sciences,
Olabisi Onabanjo University,
Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State,
Nigeria.

Correspondence

Dr. Akiibinu MO,
Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology,
College of Health Sciences,
Olabisi Onabanjo University,
Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State,
Nigeria.
E-mail: akiibinumoses@yahoo.com
 
* Received for Publication: January 29, 2009
* Accepted: May 13, 2009



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