Evaluation of oxidative stress level: total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase activity in children with pneumonia compared to healthy children.
4 affiliations
- 1Infectious disease Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Avicenna Institute of Clinical Sciences, Ekbatan Hospital, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
- 2Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences and Technology, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
- 3Center of Excellence for Occupational Health, Occupational Health and Safety Research Center, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
- 4Behavioral Disorders and Substance Abuse Research Center, Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Viral pneumonia is a leading cause of death in young children worldwide. Oxidant/antioxidant imbalance has been reported in various infectious diseases. This study aimed to evaluate oxidative stress and antioxidant defense markers - specifically malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) - in children hospitalized with pneumonia compared to healthy controls.Methods
This case-control study included 53 children aged 2 to 10 years: 27 children with pneumonia and 26 healthy controls. Plasma MDA, SOD, and TAC levels were measured using ELISA kits (Kiazist Company, Iran). Blood samples were collected at the time of hospitalization. A researcher-designed checklist recorded demographic information (age, sex, weight, and BMI). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 14 software. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.Results
MDA and SOD levels in the pneumonia group (2.49 ± 0.52 µmol/L and 3.47 ± 0.69 U/mL, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the control group (1.63 ± 0.34 µmol/L and 1.33 ± 0.20 U/mL, respectively) (p < 0.001). Conversely, TAC levels in the pneumonia group (0.88 ± 0.18 mmol/L) were significantly lower than those in the control group (1.69 ± 0.21 mmol/L) (p < 0.001).Conclusion
Pneumonia in children is associated with increased oxidative stress and decreased systemic antioxidant capacity. These findings suggest that redox imbalance may play a role in the pathophysiology of the disease; however, causal relationships and therapeutic implications remain to be confirmed, as interventional and longitudinal studies are lacking. Antioxidant modulation may warrant further investigation as an adjunctive therapy.
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BibTeX
@article{shalchi2026evaluation,
title = {{Evaluation of oxidative stress level: total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase activity in children with pneumonia compared to healthy children.}},
author = {Zohreh Shalchi and Aref Kamyab Anvari and Roya Najafi Vosough and Homa Naderifar and Fereshteh Mehri},
journal = {BMC infectious diseases},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12879-026-14078-9},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968095},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Evaluation of oxidative stress level: total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase activity in children with pneumonia compared to healthy children.
AU - Zohreh Shalchi
AU - Aref Kamyab Anvari
AU - Roya Najafi Vosough
AU - Homa Naderifar
AU - Fereshteh Mehri
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/04
JO - BMC infectious diseases
DO - 10.1186/s12879-026-14078-9
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968095
AB - Background Viral pneumonia is a leading cause of death in young children worldwide. Oxidant/antioxidant imbalance has been reported in various infectious diseases. This study aimed to evaluate oxidative stress and antioxidant defense markers - specifically malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) - in children hospitalized with pneumonia compared to healthy controls.Methods This case-control study included 53 children aged 2 to 10 years: 27 children with pneumonia and 26 healthy controls. Plasma MDA, SOD, and TAC levels were measured using ELISA kits (Kiazist Company, Iran). Blood samples were collected at the time of hospitalization. A researcher-designed checklist recorded demographic information (age, sex, weight, and BMI). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 14 software. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.Results MDA and SOD levels in the pneumonia group (2.49 ± 0.52 µmol/L and 3.47 ± 0.69 U/mL, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the control group (1.63 ± 0.34 µmol/L and 1.33 ± 0.20 U/mL, respectively) (p < 0.001). Conversely, TAC levels in the pneumonia group (0.88 ± 0.18 mmol/L) were significantly lower than those in the control group (1.69 ± 0.21 mmol/L) (p < 0.001).Conclusion Pneumonia in children is associated with increased oxidative stress and decreased systemic antioxidant capacity. These findings suggest that redox imbalance may play a role in the pathophysiology of the disease; however, causal relationships and therapeutic implications remain to be confirmed, as interventional and longitudinal studies are lacking. Antioxidant modulation may warrant further investigation as an adjunctive therapy.
SN - 1471-2334
ER -