The aging process is a complex and dynamic phenomenon influenced by genetic, environmental, and biochemical factors. One of the key contributors to aging and age-related diseases is oxidative stress, resulting from an imbalance between the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the efficiency of antioxidant defense systems. In this review, we introduce the concept of the oxidative stress complexity—a network encompassing ROS-generating systems, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, and genetic determinants that collectively shape redox homeostasis. Emerging research highlights the significant influence of genetic variability on the activity and expression of selected and most examined antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), paraoxonase 1 (PON1), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), thereby modulating individual susceptibility to oxidative damage, disease onset, and the pace of aging. Particular attention is paid to the interplay among oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction in the pathogenesis of various age-related disorders. By integrating findings from molecular studies, clinical research, and population genetics, we discuss the diagnostic and prognostic potential of antioxidant enzymes as biomarkers of aging and explore strategies for redox-modulating interventions. Understanding these interrelations is essential for identifying biomarkers of biological aging and developing personalized strategies aimed at promoting healthy aging and reducing the risk of chronic disease.

Objective: Ageing is one of the major risks for atherosclerosis. The age-related changes of interactions between plasma lipids, oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, and glycation processes are still not established while we age. Thus, the aim of the study was to analyze such relationships in individuals at risk for atherosclerosis due to their age. Methods: Elderly and middle-aged persons with no acute disease or severe chronic disorder were assessed. Fasting plasma lipids (total cholesterol (T-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triacylglycerols), thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS), plasma total antioxidant status (TAS), and glucose and glycated proteins (fructosamine (FA) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c)) were determined. An oral glucose tolerance test allowed exclusion of persons with type 2 diabetes. Results: Lipid profiles were significantly profitable, increased HDL-C especially (p<0.0001), in the elderly versus middle-aged group. Decreased TBARS and TAS were found in the elderly versus middle-aged group (p=0.0001 and p=0.00002, respectively). Increased fructosamine was found in the elderly (255±30 μmol/L) versus middle-aged (236±33 μmol/L) group (p=0.006). Multiple regression analysis showed that in the middle-aged group TBARS correlated with T-C and HDL-C, and in the elderly group with HbA_1c and FA independently of other factors. Conclusion: The factors which have an impact on oxidant–antioxidant status are crucial to understanding the pathomechanisms of senescence as well as the development of chronic diseases. Healthy aging may be maintained throughout proper lipid control. Moreover, data support the premise that the balance between lipid metabolism and oxidative stress may play a role in the initial phases of glycation plasma proteins particularly among elderly persons.

Obesity, currently defined as a disease, is associated with a number of metabolic disorders, and oxidative stress is discussed as the link between them. The aim of this study was to analyze the plasma markers reflecting oxidative modification of lipids and lipoproteins, oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), under the influence of the 75 g of oral glucose during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), in patients with increased body mass. One hundred twenty individuals of both genders (46 women and 74 men) aged 26 to 75 years with increased body mass (BMI > 25 kg/m²) were recruited for the study. OGTT was performed in each of the qualified persons, and glycemia, insulinemia, and concentrations of oxLDL and TBARS were measured fasting and at 120 min of OGTT. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was used to assess the degree of insulin resistance (IR). In order to assess the changes of the investigated parameters under the influence of 75 g glucose, the index R_OGTT = [120’]/[0’] was calculated to obtain oxLDL-R_OGTT and TBARS-R_OGTT. The statistical analysis was performed in the entire study population and subsequent groups from H1 to H4, defined by HOMA-IR quartiles. In the entire study population and the subgroups, oxidative stress markers changed during OGTT. From H1 to H4 group, increasing oxLDL and TBARS were observed both in the fasting state and at 120 min of OGTT, and the oxLDL-R_OGTT index decreased from the H2 to the H4 group. The intensification of IR in people with increased body mass may predispose them to enhanced oxidative modification of lipoproteins. Individual reduction in the concentration of oxLDL during OGTT, in reference to fasting value (decreased oxLDL-R_OGTT), suggests increased uptake of modified lipoproteins by scavenger receptor-presenting cells or increased migration to the vascular wall.

Background: Companion animals are common in home hospice and widely viewed as beneficial for patients, yet their presence may affect procedural safety and clinicians’ bedside decisions. Objectives: To determine whether hospice staff’s recognition of pet-related risks predicts their likelihood of requesting temporary separation of the animal during clinical procedures. Design: Multicenter cross-sectional survey. Setting/Subjects: Home hospice clinicians working in three Polish provinces. Measurements: An anonymized online questionnaire assessed perceived benefits, risks/burdens, and procedure-related behaviors in homes with patient-owned companion animals. Likert-type items were used to construct composite benefit and risk/burden indices. The primary outcome was clinicians’ self-reported propensity to request temporary pet separation during procedures. Ordinal logistic regression adjusted for clinician characteristics was performed. Results: Among 81 participating professionals (74% nurses), 98.8% agreed that pets reduced patient anxiety, yet 25.9% reported prior pet-related safety threats and more than half reported requesting temporary separation at least sometimes. Higher recognition of pet-related risk was independently associated with a greater likelihood of requesting separation (odds ratio 2.52 per 1-point increase in risk/burden score; 95% CI 1.38-4.60). General attitudes toward pets and pet ownership were not associated with this behavior. Conclusions: In home hospice, clinicians’ requests for brief pet separation during procedures are driven by professional assessment of bedside risk rather than personal affinity for animals or beliefs about pet benefits. These findings support temporary, situation-specific separation as a pragmatic patient-safety measure and highlight the need for guidance on managing companion animals during home visits.

Background: Vaccination against COVID-19 activates the cellular and humoral immune response.Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG (CoV2- -IgG) and T lymphocyte response to specific SARS-CoV-2 stimuli by releasing interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and humoral and cellular compounds, as well as to determine the impact of previous COVID-19, age, and BMI on the tested parameters in healthy volunteers six months after vaccination.Material and methods: We assessed the concentration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG with an indirect chemiluminescence test and the concentration of IFN-γ with the interferon gamma release assay (IGRA).Results: CoV2-IgG was present in all subjects (n = 80), but not all tested volunteers were positive for IGRA (n = 62). The concentrations of both parameters were higher in people who had contracted COVID-19 before the test. The concentration of CoV2-IgG was higher in the IGRA-S1-positive group than in the IGRA-S1- -borderline group. Age (R = –0.237, p = 0.05) and BMI (R = –0.343, p = 0.003) were negatively correlated with the concentration of antibodies in the group with no history of COVID-19. The concentrations of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IFN-γ were positively correlated (R = 0.384, p = 0.001) among the vaccinated people.Conclusions: A moderate similarity was observed among the entire study group in the humoral and cellular post-vaccination effects. SARS-CoV-2 infection followed by vaccination against COVID-19 may result in a more robust humoral and cellular response than the vaccination itself. On the other hand, the humoral response may be impaired in its ability to mount an effective immune response following vaccination with age. The lymphocyte T response to specific SARS-CoV-2 stimuli seems not to be affected by BMI, while further steps leading to successful IgG production may be impaired with increasing body mass.