The effects of pulmonary rehabilitation program on oxidative stress biomarker and antioxidant enzymes activities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and in healthy subjects

Imen Ben Cheikh Rejbi, Imed Laatiri, Afef Chouchane, Abdelkarim Zbidi, Abdelhamid Kerkeni, Zouhair Tabka

Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on oxidative stress biomarker (Thiobarbituric acid substances “TBARS”) and antioxidant enzymes activities (superoxide dismutase “SOD”, glutathione peroxidise “GPx” and catalase “CAT”) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared to healthy subjects.
Material and Methods: The study included 26 patients with COPD and 12 healthy subjects. The patients were divided into 2 groups (16 trained and 10 untrained). Trained groups performed 45 min individualized exercise training enrolled to an 8 weeks pulmonary rehabilitation program 3 times a week. Prior to and after the programme, exercise testing and pulmonary function were evaluated. Antioxidant enzymes activities were measured by spectrophotometry and spectrofluorimetry was used for plasma levels of thiobarbituric acid substances.
Results: After the program, exercise capacity improved significantly in trained groups. At baseline, plasma TBARS were significantly increased in patients with COPD compared to the healthy subjects (p<0.05). Baseline values of SOD and CAT activities were significantly lower in patients with COPD than in healthy subjects. After rehabilitation, there were no significant differences in plasma TBARS between groups. However, SOD activity increased significantly in trained patients and in healthy subjects. GPx activity increased only in trained patients. There was no significant change for CAT activity for all groups.
Conclusions: This study suggests that pulmonary rehabilitation program with moderate physical training can activate antioxidant defence and regulate systemic oxidative stress release.

Key words: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; healthy subjects; pulmonary rehabilitation; oxidative stress biomarker; antioxidant enzymes