Oxidative stress status of individuals involved in traffic accidents*

Authors: BORA ÖZDEMİR, ATILHAN KAYA, ÖZGÜR SÖĞÜT, HALİL KAYA, MEHMET TAHİR GÖKDEMİR, OSMAN CELBİŞ

Abstract: To investigate the role of the oxidative stress status of drivers involved in traffic accidents as a risk factor. Materials and methods: Twenty-six drivers and 28 passengers involved in traffic accidents and 31 healthy control drivers and 30 healthy control pedestrians were enrolled in the present study. The total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) were measured in blood samples. Results: The mean value of the TOS level in drivers involved in traffic accidents was significantly higher than that of the control pedestrians (P =< 0.05). The mean value of the TAS level in passengers involved in traffic accidents was significantly lower than that of the control drivers and pedestrians (P =< 0.001 and P =< 0.01, respectively). Conclusion: This is the first study assessing the oxidative markers of individuals involved in a traffic accident compared with a control group. The results reveal that involvement in a traffic accident has an effect on oxidative markers. However, further studies are required in order to use the oxidative stress status of drivers involved in traffic accidents as a marker for estimating the accident risk.

Keywords: Total oxidant status, total antioxidant status, oxidative stress index, traffic accident, driver, forensic medicine

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