Red blood cell glutathione peroxidase activity in multiple sclerosis.

Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity of red blood cells of 23 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients (10 men and 13 women, aged 22-64 years) was examined and compared to the enzyme activity of 26 healthy persons (15 men and 11 women, aged 19-50 years). It was found that the mean GSH-Px activity was significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in red blood cells of MS patients (39.1 +/- 8.1 IU/g Hb) as compared to the group of healthy persons (25.9 +/- 5.2 IU/g Hb). There was no difference according to sexes in both the MS patients and the control group. The results are discussed based on the hypothesis that organic peroxides play a role in the etiology of multiple sclerosis.