Evaluation of Albuminand Uric Acid Levels, Catalaseactivity andtotal Antioxidant Statusin Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patientsin Osogbo, Nigeria

Previous reports showed that tuberculosis is associated with increase free radical load and oxidative stress thereby worsening the disease state. An understanding of the antioxidant defense system may be helpful in management and care of the disease. Albumin, Uric acid, catalase activity and total antioxidant status (TAS) were determined in blood samples ofthirty five (35) pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients (28 TB and 7 TB+HIV) on drug treatment and thirty (30) apparently healthy controls (Ziehl Neelsen test negative) by standard spectrophotometric methods. Results showed that the means of albumin (30.66mmol/L), catalase activity (50.60 IU/ml) and TAS (2.49 mmol/L) of TB patients were significantly lower than those of the control group (42.50mmol/L, 69.80 IU/ml and 4.86 mmol/L respectively). Mean uric acid (0.76mmol/L) of TB patients was significantly higher than that of (0.58mmol/L) of corresponding control. In addition, means of albumin (31.29mmol/L),uric acid (0.77 mmol/L), catalase activity (50.50 IU/ml) and TAS (2.40mmol/l) of TBgroup did not differ from the respective means ofTB+HIV patients (albumin =28.40mmol/L, uric acid =0.71mmol/L, catalase activity=51.00 IU/ml and TAS =2.81 mmol/L).Means of TAS,albumin and catalase activity of TB+HIV patients were significantly lower than respective means of control but the uric acid of TB+HIV patients (0.71 mmol/L) was higher than that of control (0.58 mmol/L).Significantly low level of plasma albumin, catalase activity and total antioxidant status observed in this study might be due to increased utilization of antioxidants to combat oxidative stress seen in TB and the increase plasma uric acid due to excessive breakdown of cells in pulmonary tuberculosis. Increased antioxidant intake may be essential in the management of TB patients.