ACTIVITY OF SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE AND ITS ISOENZYMIC SPECTRA IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD IMMUNOCOMPETENT CELLS IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS AND RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

General activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and its isoenzymic spec trum in lymphocytes and neutrophils were studied in the peripheral blo od from 63 SLP and 85 RA patients. A significant decline in SOD activi ty and qualitative shifts in SOD isoenzymic spectrum were found in bot h cell groups. The differences were specific for lymphocytes and neutr ophils. SOD isoenzymic aberrations proved significant in minimal activ ity of SLP and RA and go in the same direction in both the diseases. G eneral SOD activity and its isoenzymic composition can serve sensitive indications of immunocompetent cell function both in SLP and RA and o f the need in antioxidants inclusion into combined treatment of both t he diseases.