Raised platelet thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances in proliferative Eales′ disease.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Platelets are an elective site for oxidative stress owing to their high content of polyunsaturated fatty acid. Increased lipid peroxidation and elevated platelet thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS) signal oxidative stress. This possibly leads to retinal neovascularization in Eales′ disease. METHODS: TBARS levels were estimated in consecutive cases of Eales′ disease with neovascularisation (n = 26), Eales′ disease without neovascularisation (n = 17) and healthy controls (n = 17). RESULTS: Platelet TBARS levels in the cases of Eales′ disease with neovascularisation, Eales′ disease without neovascularisation, and healthy controls were 0.66 +/- 0.1, 0.57 +/- 0.11 and 0.42 +/- 0.14 n moles TBARS formed/hour/10(8) platelets respectively. Student′s t-test showed a significant increase in platelet TBARS levels in cases with neovascularisation as compared to cases without neovascularization (p < 0.05) and healthy controls (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The increase in platelet TBARS levels in proliferative Eales′ disease is consistent with an emerging view that lipid peroxides may be associated with retinal neovascularisation.

Keywords

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Biological Markers
• blood
• Blood Platelets
• metabolism
• Comparative Study
• Disease Progression
• Humans
• Lipid Peroxidation
• ph