ORIGINAL ARTICLE
ASSESSMENT OF ANTIOXIDANTS AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS IN NIGERIA
 
More details
Hide details
1
Olabisi Onabanjo University, Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Sciences, 1Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun state
2
University of Ibadan, Department of Chemical Pathology, Immunology unit, Ibadan
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Akiibinu O. Moses   

Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology, Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Sciences. Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun state.
Online publication date: 2008-10-15
Publication date: 2008-10-15
 
Eur J Gen Med 2008;5(4):208–211
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional and antioxidant status of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Nigeria Methods: Levels of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB.), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), and total antioxidants (TAS) were determined in thirty-one Nigerian pulmonary tuberculosis patients and thirty-four controls using Spectrophotometric methods Results:The mean levels of TP (7.13+1.06g/dl), ALB (3.27+0.7g/dl), TC (100.7+23.6mg/dl), HDLC (28.6+7.2mg/dl), LDLC (65.5+15.1mg/dl) and TG (61.6+16.2mg/dl) were significantly lower while the level of globulin (3.9+0.84g/dl) was significantly higher in pulmonary tuberculosis patients when compared with controls (TP= 7.6+0.7g/dl; ALB= 4.2+0.48g/dl; TC = 163.2+40.1mg/dl; HDLC = 41.4+5.4mg/dl; LDLC = 107.8+27.5mg/dl; TG= 101.5+29mg/dl; globulin = 3.4+0.6g/dl respectively). Level of TAS (0.83+0.34mmol/l) was significantly lower when compared with controls (TAS= 1.65+0.26mmol/l). The significantly lower level of antioxidants observed in this study might be due to heavy load of free radicals released by the bacterial invaded macrophages. Conclusion: The nutritional derangement and lower antioxidant status could call for prompt nutritional intervention in the management of pulmonary tuberculosis patients.
eISSN:2516-3507