Levels of non enzymatic antioxidants in Down syndrome.

Objectives: To confirm the clinical diagnosis of Down syndrome by chromosomal analysis and to explore the oxidative stress in children with Down syndrome by estimating the levels of non enzymatic antioxidants like reduced glutathione(GSH) and total antioxidants status (TAS).

Methods: The study included 31 clinically diagnosed children with Down syndrome with equal number of age and sex matched controls. Trisomy 21 was confirmed by conventional lymphocyte cell culture. Erythrocytic reduced glutathione (GSH) and plasma total antioxidant status (TAS) were measured sphectrophotometrically.

Results: The levels of erythrocytic reduced glutathione (GSH) and plasma total antioxidant status (TAS) were significantly reduced in children with Down syndrome.

Conclusions: Children with Down syndrome have elevated levels of oxidative stress . Hence antioxidant therapy can be beneficial among them.