Plasma total antioxidant capacity, lipid peroxidation, and erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis

The metabolism of cells in inflammatory and noninflammatory arthritic joint diseases is subject to complex environmental controls. The aim of the present study was to investigate the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO), and antioxidant enzyme activities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Plasma levels of TAC, malondialdehyde (MDA), the activities of some erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes, as well as erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR) were estimated in patients with RA and OA and compared with controls. The plasma TAC levels were significantly lower in the RA group than the OA and control group ( P