Glutathione antioxidant system status of men with erectile dysfunction due to combat trauma

Introduction. Most military personnel survive serious injuries, but many are left to live with long-term sexual and reproductive disorders. The injuries often result in psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, which negatively affect behavioral health and sexual function. There is emerging evidence linking erectile dysfunction (ED) to oxidative stress. Overall, combat trauma is characterized by a broad response of the body to harmful effects involving all body systems, leading to significant changes in the pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted on peripheral blood lymphocytes and serum of men with ED due to combat trauma (shrapnel and bullet wounds) and healthy men (control group). Both the study and control groups were divided into two age groups (young and middle age groups). Antioxidant activity was studied by measuring glutathione peroxidase (GP), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione-S-transferase (GsT). Results. A comparison of the groups using the Kruskal–Wallis method revealed a significant decrease in the GPx and GR activity in blood lymphocytes and serum in men with ED due to combat trauma compared with healthy men of corresponding age groups. It was shown that GPx activity in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients of the young age group was 1.64-fold lower, and in patients of the middle age group 1.70-fold lower than in the control group (P <0.001). Similar changes were observed in blood serum. GR activity in blood lymphocytes in patients of the young and middle age groups was 1.42-fold lower than in healthy men (P <0.001). In blood serum, GR activity in patients of the young age group was 1.70-fold (P <0.001) and in patients of the middle age group 1.56-fold lower than in healthy men (P <0.001). GsT activity in blood lymphocytes in both age groups increases by 1.2-fold, however these changes were not significant (P >0.05). Conclusion. Erectile dysfunction caused by combat trauma is accompanied by a significant decrease in the activities of antioxidant defense enzymes – glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. There is no difference between age groups of patients with erectile dysfunction due to combat trauma. However, the activity of glutathione S-transferase practically does not change, although there is a tendency for its increase.