Correlation of Antioxidant Levels with the Severity of Traumatic Brain Injury - A Systematic Analysis

Numerous experimental and clinical analyses of biomechanical injury have served to elucidate the pathophysiologic events involved in Traumatic Brain Injury(TBI).Secondary insults activate the release of cellular mediators including proinflammatory cytokines,prostaglandins, free radicals,and complement.The resulting cascade of events avalanche into free radical induced oxidative damage to the brain.The present study was carried out to determine the level of antioxidant enzymes like Superoxide Dismutase (SOD),Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) as markers of lipid peroxidation.An increase in antioxidant levels was taken as a composite marker of defense against oxidative tissue damage. Comparison of mean levels of SOD, GPx and MDA levels between controls (Group1), moderate TBI (Group2) and severe TBI patients (Group3) was done using one way ANOVA to calculate the P value.The mean levels of SOD, GPx and MDA of group 2 were compared with that of group 1.The values were significantly higher in group2 than in group1 (P < 0.001). Similarly the mean level of SOD, GPx and MDA of group 3 was compared with that of group 2.The values were significantly higher in group 3 than in group 2 (P < 0.001). Our observation revealed that changes in antioxidant enzyme levels run parallel to the severity of head trauma.Thus, these enzyme levels could be used as potential biomarkers to correlate severe head trauma and thereby aid management plans. Abbreviations: Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Glutathione Peroxidase (Gpx) Malondialdehyde (MDA) Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) Adenosine Triphosphate Phosphate (ATP)