Aim : We aimed to investigate the levels and relationships of an-tioxidants, lipid peroxidation and leptin altogether in marasmic malnutrition.
Method : Thirty marasmic children (age 14.4±10.3 months) and 28 con-trol subjects were included. Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, glutathione (GSH) level, and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and leptin levels were measured.
Result: Malnourished children had significantly lower erythro-cyte SOD activity (1583±417 vs. 3403±1901 U/gHb, respectively, P< 0.001), CAT activity (1139±92 vs. 1663±302 k/gHb, p< 0.001), GSH level (25.9±5.4 vs. 48.1±17.0 μmol/gHb, p< 0.001) and leptin levels (3.6±1.1 vs. 11.8±4.5 ng/mL, respectively, p< 0.001), compared with control subjects. However mean MDA concentration of marasmic chil-dren (11.1±2.5 nmol/mL) was found to be significantly higher than that of the control subjects (6.6±3.9 nmol/mL) (p< 0.001). Significant negative correlations were detected between CAT and MDA (r=-0.476, P=0.009), between SOD and MDA (r=-0.534, p=0.004), and GSH and MDA (r=-0.439, p=0.015) in marasmic children. No significant correla-tion was found between leptin and oxidation markers (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Marasmic children had increased lipid peroxidation and decreased antioxidant enzyme activities and leptin. Lack of associa-tions between leptin, anthropometric measurements and oxidative stress may be due to the excessive loss of adipose tissue and related very low levels of leptin in marasmic children.
