Assessment of Oxidative Stress Parameters in Iraqi Male Patients with Covid-19; A Case Control Study

Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause significant alterations in our lives. Oxidative stress (OS) has been proposed to play a major role in COVID-19 pathogenesis, and the determination of OS biomarkers provides insight into disease severity. Methods: The study was conducted during the second wave of the pandemic in 2020. Fifty blood samples were collected from patients admitted to one of the COVID-19 isolation centers in Baghdad, Iraq. The samples were subdivided into 25 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and 25 non-ICU patients, compared to 25 healthy controls. All participants were aged 35-52 years. Results: The study showed that the mean (+/- SD) serum total oxidant status (TOS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly increased (p< 0.001) in the ICU group compared to the control and non-ICU groups. Conversely, the levels of serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and serum antioxidative enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase, and glutathione (GSH) were significantly decreased (p< 0.001) in the ICU group compared to both the control and non-ICU groups. Serum zinc levels were significantly decreased (p< 0.001) in both ICU and non-ICU groups compared to the control group, while serum selenium (Se), copper (Cu), and vitamins C and E were significantly decreased (p< 0.001) in the ICU group compared to both the control and non-ICU groups. Conclusion: The presence of OS biomarkers in the sera of COVID-19 patients offers a potential new approach for the treatment of this disease.