| Abstract: | Seventy-seven blood samples from normal controls aged 0–8 years and 93 blood samples from children of similar ages with various viral hepatitis were investigated by measuring plasma superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) using chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA). Total and Cu,Zn-SOD activities of normal controls of group 2(1–8 years old) were significantly higher than that of normal controls of group 1 (0–1 year old) (P < 0.01. P < 0.01), while there were no differences of Mn-SOD activities between the two groups. Total. Cu,Zn-and Mn-SOD activities significantly increased in the acute phase (0–4 weeks after onset) and dropped to the normal levels in the restoration phase (4th week later) for 29 children with cytomegalovirus hepatitis (CMVH), in comparison with group 1. Only Mn-SOD activities were significantly increased in the acute phase (with increased ALT levels) and restoration phase (with normal ALT levels) for 18 children with hepatitis A (HA). Total and Cu,Zn-SOD activities significantly decreased and Mn-SOD activities significantly increased in both the active (with increased ALT levels) and the inactive phases (with normal ALT levels) for 36 children with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH). Only Cu,Zn-SOD activities fell significantly in both active and inactive phases for 10 children with chronic active hepatitis (CAH). |
