Gender Issue in Oxidativestress in Undialyzed Chronic Renal Failure Patients

Oxidative stress is at play in progression of chronic renal failure which negatively affects human health and longevity. Over production of oxidants or inability to balance the oxidant level by the antioxidants could be the cause of systemic oxidative stress. Available reports regarding oxidative stress in undialyzed chronic renal failure (CRF) patients are inconclusive. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the level of oxidative stress and gender influence in undialyzed CRF patients against that of healthy individuals. However, gender specific susceptibility influencing oxidative stress was never reported in undialyzed chronic renal failure patients. The study group was consisted of 80 volunteers including 40 undialyzed chronic renal failure patients and 40 age matched healthy volunteers. Changes in serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, catalase and superoxide dismutase (sOD) activities in undialyzed chronic renal failure patients were measured spectrophotometrically and compared with healthy control groups. Overall values indicate upsurge in oxidative stress in CRF patients in comparison to healthy volunteers through raised levels of MDA along with increased SOD activities in serum. Interestingly, obvious differences were observed in between genders within the CRF patients, which is signified by statistical tests only in case of serum MDA level. This is the first report of gender issue in terms of oxidative stress in CRF patients. On the basis of observations reported here, it can be summarized that the gender linked inconsistency in oxidative stress in CRF patients may be due to differential responses of oxidant handling enzymes in male and female CRF patients.