Linoleic acid and protein thiol changes suggestive of oxidative damage in the plasma of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Patients with the acute lung injury syndrome ARDS are under oxidative stress from the disease and from treatment with high inspired oxygen concentrations. Oxidative stress can lead to molecular damage by a variety of reactive oxygen intermediates generated in the lung. In the present study we sequentially monitor changes in plasma total lipid linoleic acid fatty acid levels, using GC-MS, and express these as a function of changes in plasma protein thiol values. In nine out of eleven ARDS patients there was a relationship between loss of protein thiols and loss of total lipid linoleic acid. In three patients changes in protein thiols preceded changes in total lipid linoleic acid by several days. Parallel decreases in plasma total lipid fatty acid esters of linoleic acid and protein thiols are suggestive of oxidative stress leading to molecular damage.