Indicators of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense system indicators in adolescents with tension headache

The aim of the study was to investigate the characteristics of changes in the indicators of the lipid peroxidation (LPO) system and antioxidant defense (AOР) in blood plasma and erythrocytes in adolescents with tension-type headache (TH). 104 individuals (boys and girls) aged 12-17 years were examined, including 64 adolescents with TH (main group) and 40 without TH (comparison group). The content of LPO-AOP system parameters was determined using spectrophotometric detection methods. The obtained data were processed in the Statistiсa 12 program. Results: adolescents with TH had higher plasma MDA levels and lower plasma and erythrocyte SOD activity. A large number of individuals with high plasma MDA concentrations and low plasma and erythrocyte SOD activity were found in adolescents with a history of TH episodes. Statistically significant intragroup differences were revealed for most parameters of the LPO-AOP between their gradations: “normal level” and the level “above normal” and/or “below normal”. Considering the significant role of the imbalance of the LPO-AOР system parameters in the development of oxidative stress, the increase in MDA and decrease in SOD activity that we have identified are ambiguous in terms of their interpretation: on the one hand, they can be regarded as metabolic markers of the presence of TH, on the other hand, their role as predictors of the development of this pathology is highly probable. This assumption can be confirmed or rejected by the results of further studies.