Author(s)

Lal Chandrasena^1*, Arjuna De Silva², Chandima De Mel¹, Hemantha Peiris³, Visula Abesuriya¹, Sanjay De Mel⁴, Suranjith Seneviratne⁵, Samantha Bandara⁶

¹Nawaloka Hospitals Research and Education Foundation, Nawaloka Hospitals PLC, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
²Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
³Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
⁴Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, National University Health System Singapore, Singapore.
⁵Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, Royal Free Hospital and University College London, London, UK.
⁶Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.

Identification of redox markers may be of clinical significance in the management of dengue patients. This study is to identify the association between antioxidant enzymes, hematological parameters and liver transaminases in patients with acute dengue infection. Blood samples were taken from patients on the day of admission, day 05 and 07 from admission for analysis of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and hematological parameters. AST and ALT levels were significantly elevated (p < 0.05) on day 05 in dengue patients. In contrast, GPX and GR showed significantly low levels on day 05 compared to on the day of admission and day 07. Although there was a decline in the trend of platelets towards day 05, values were not significantly different. Dengue associated with liver injury appears to peak around day 05 when the GPX and GR enzymes levels in patients were the lowest suggesting that increased viral load in the acute phase of dengue infection has initiated an antioxidant imbalance. Thus, timely investigation of antioxidant enzymes (GR and GPX) and liver transaminases around day 05 of admission may be of value in the management of patients with dengue infection similar to as seen in platelet counts.

Aspartate Transaminase, Alanine Transaminase, Dengue, Glutathione Peroxidase, Glutathione Reductase

Chandrasena, L. , Silva, A. , Mel, C. , Peiris, H. , Abesuriya, V. , Mel, S. , Seneviratne, S. and Bandara, S. (2019) Glutathione Enzymes and Liver Injury in Acute Dengue Viral Infection. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 7, 61-71. doi: 10.4236/jbm.2019.710006.