Investigation of the relationship between serum levels of cotinine and the renal function in active and passive smokers.

OBJECTIVE: We have investigated the effects of active and passive smoking on renal functions in terms of glomerular filtration rate, microalbuminuria, and ß-2 microglobulin excretion. DESIGN AND METHOD: The volunteers included in this study were classified into three groups as active smokers (n = 24), passive smokers (n = 20), and controls (n = 20). Blood and urine samples were collected from all groups. Serum glucose, urea, creatinine, and cotinine levels in the collected blood samples were measured. Also, microalbumin, ß-2 microglobulin, and creatinine levels were measured in the collected urine samples. RESULTS: Serum cotinine levels were found to be higher in both passive and active smokers when compared with controls ( p < 0.01), whereas urinary microalbumin and creatinine levels were significantly higher in active smokers ( p < 0.01). The urinary microalbumin/creatinine ratio was significantly increased in both active and passive smokers compared with controls. CONCLUSION: The kidney and the glomerular functions may be affected even by passive smoking. In addition, increased microalbumin/creatinine ratio may be a sign of increased atherosclerosis risk in these persons.

The importance of oxidative stress in patients with chronic renal failure whose hypertension is treated with peritoneal dialysis.

Increased oxidative stress is a well-known phenomenon in dialysis patients. However, the contribution of hypertension to the oxidative stress in peritoneal dialysis patients has not yet been assessed. The present study aimed to investigate if hypertension had an additional effect on oxidative stress in peritoneal dialysis patients. A total of 50 patients treated with peritoneal dialysis were divided into two groups: The patients with mean of last three blood pressure results as 135/90 mmHg and above were considered hypertensive, the patients with lower blood pressure were considered normotensive. The control group included 25 healthy individuals. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP), myeloperoxidase (MPO), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were measured in all groups. MDA level, an indicator of lipid peroxidation, was significantly higher in the hypertensive group compared to the control group, while the increase in the normotensive group was not significant. However, the difference between the hypertensive and normotensive groups was significant. The levels of AOPP, an indicator of protein oxidation level, and MPO, an indicator of neutrophil activation, were not different between the groups, while the activities of antioxidant CAT and GSH-Px decreased in both normotensive and hypertensive groups compared to the control group, and there was no significant difference between the patient groups. This study shows that both normotensive and hypertensive peritoneal dialysis patients have increased-oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant levels and hypertension might have an additional effect on oxidative stress by increasing MDA level in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Effect of depot oral cholecalciferol treatment on secondary hyperparathyroidism in stage 3 and stage 4 chronic kidney diseases patients.

By the time patients require dialysis replacement therapy, nearly all chronic kidney diseases (CKD) patients are affected with uremic bone diseases. High-turnover osteodystrophy can be prevented; patients with CKD should be monitored for imbalances in calcidiol (25 OH vitamin D), calcium, and phosphate homeostasis. We aimed to determine the effect of a monthly oral 300,000 IU vitamin D(3) (cholecalciferol) supplementation on the uremic bone diseases (UBD) markers such as iPTH and alkaline phosphatase in CKD patients. Among a total of 70 patients under treatment in the nephrology unit, 40 predialysis CKD patients (mean age of 49 +/- 14, male/female 20/20) were included the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. Treatment group included 20 patients (mean age of 51 +/- 14, male/female 9/11), and the control group comprised 20 patients (mean age of 47 +/- 14, male/female 9/11). Treatment group patients were given a single dose of Devit3 ampoule (300,000 U cholecalciferol) per month orally way. Patients in the control group did not take any vitamin D for a month. The level of calcidiol was lower than normal range in two groups. After a month, treatment group patient's calcidiol increased statistically significant (6.8 +/- 3.5 to 17.8 +/- 21.4 ng/mL, p < 0.001). After a month, iPTH level decreased in the treatment group statistically significantly (368 +/- 274 to 279 +/- 179 pg/ml, p < 0.001). At the 30(th) day of the treatment, in 9/20 of the treatment group patients (45%), the iPTH value decreased at least 30% (p < 0.001). We suggest that oral depot cholecalciferol treatment causes a statistically significant decrease of serum iPTH level but does not cause a statistically significant change in Ca, P, ratio of Ca x P, or urinary calcium creatinine rate in UBD predialysis CKD. This treatment can be used safely for the predialysis CKD patients, along with the cautious control of serum calcium and phosphor.

Effects of topical mitomycin and trimetazidine on myringosclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: Myringosclerosis, one of the most common complications of ventilation tube placement, is a kind of tympanosclerosis and is defined as subepithelial hyalinization of the tympanic membrane. There are two arguments in the development of myringosclerosis: inflammation triggering the development of myringosclerosis and free oxygen radicals released during inflammation causing myringosclerosis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to explore the effects on the development of myringosclerosis of mitomycin, which has anti-inflammatory effects, and trimetazidine, which is believed to inhibit free oxygen radicals when given systemically. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The study was carried out on rabbits. Animals were divided into five groups, with six rabbits in each group: three control groups (paracentesis only, paracentesis+tube placement, and no intervention), a trimetazidine group, and a mitomycin group. Mitomycin (0.4 mg/mL) and trimetazidine (20 mg/mL) were applied topically to the tympanic membrane, and the presence and degree of sclerosis were graded histopathologically after Masson's trichrome staining. RESULTS: In the histopathologic examination, sclerosis that developed in the tympanic membranes of rabbits that had undergone paracentesis or paracentesis plus tube application or received trimetazidine was significantly more extensive than sclerosis in the membranes of unoperated animals and those that had been administered mitomycin. CONCLUSIONS: Paracentesis in rabbits, independent of tube placement, causes sclerosis of the tympanic membrane. Results show that topical use of mitomycin, due to its anti-inflammatory effect, had alleviating effects on myringosclerosis, whereas topical trimetazidine did not.

Activity of mannitol and hypertonic saline therapy on the oxidant and antioxidant system during the acute term after traumatic brain injury in the rats.

In this study, our objective is to investigate the effects of mannitol and 7.5% hypertonic saline (HS) therapy on the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the early stages of experimental head traumas in rats. Rats included in the study were divided into four groups: Group I Control, Group II Trauma, Group III Mannitol, and Group IV 7.5% Hypertonic Saline. Rats in Group II were subject to head trauma only. Mannitol was injected intraperitoneally to rats in Group III after head trauma and 7.5% HS was injected intraperitoneally to rats in Group IV after head trauma. Rats were sacrificed 4 h after administration of mannitol or 7.5% HS, and the levels of MDA catalase and GSH-Px in brain tissues extracted from rats were determined. MDA levels in the trauma group were significantly increased compared with the control group (p<0.01), whereas there was a reduction in catalase and GSH-Px levels, although these differences were not significant. By contrast, in the mannitol group, MDA, catalase and GSH-Px levels were lower than the levels in the trauma group, and these reductions were statistically significant (p<0.05). The MDA, catalase and GSH-Px levels of the 7.5% HS group were lower than those of the trauma group; however, this reduction was not statistically significant. It was concluded that mannitol and 7.5% HS therapies that are used to reduce intracranial pressure and to increase the use of catalase, an antioxidant enzyme, and GSH-Px, are likely to reduce cellular damage by reducing the formation of MDA, the levels of which are known to be indicative of cellular level oxidant damage.

Do cardiac neuropeptides play a role in the occurrence of atrial fibrillation after coronary bypass surgery?

BACKGROUND: One of the potential mechanisms to explain the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) is imbalance of autonomic nervous system tone. The myocardium is innervated not only by cholinergic and adrenergic nerves but also by peptidergic nerves that synthesize and secrete neuropeptides. To investigate the possible role of cardiac neuropeptides in the development of AF after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), we analyzed the plasma levels of substance P (SubP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and angiotensin II (Ang II) in patients who underwent elective on-pump CABG. METHODS: This prospective study group included 83 consecutive patients scheduled for elective, on-pump CABG. Depressed left ventricular (LV) function (ejection fraction [EF] less than 0.30), concomitant cardiac procedures, history of atrial fibrillation, second or third degree atrioventricular block, implanted pacemaker, postoperative myocardial infarction, use of class I or III antiarrhythmic drug, and hemodynamic deterioration were exclusion criteria. Preoperative and postoperative serum levels of SubP, NPY, and AngII were measured by radioimmunoassay technique. RESULTS: Postoperative AF occurred in 27 patients (32.5%). Using multivariate logistic regression analyses, only a decrease in SubP level (odds ratio [OR] = 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.767 to 0.99, p = 0.031) and an increase in AngII level (OR = 2.61, 95% CI = 1.002 to 1.021, p = 0.023) after CABG were found to be independently associated with AF. Increased age (p = 0.02), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.023), preoperative use of beta blocker (p = 0.024), proximal right coronary artery involvement (p = 0.024), low preoperative sodium levels (p = 0.023), low LVEF (p = 0.013), and increased mitral E wave deceleration time (p = 0.044) were also associated with AF. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the increase in AngII and the decrease in SubP after CABG may play a role in the occurrence of postoperative AF. Further studies are needed to define the physiologic and pathologic relevance of these substances at the occurrence of AF in patients who undergo CABG.

Serum cytokines and bone metabolism in patients with thyroid dysfunction.

Hyperthyroidism is associated with increased bone turnover. Besides the hormones of calcium metabolism, locally produced factors are important in maintaining normal bone metabolism. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), in particular, has a major influence on bone turnover. In this study, serum IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels, as well as bone turnover markers and relationships between them, were investigated in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. A total of 20 female patients with hyperthyroidism, 15 with subclinical hyperthyroidism, 16 with hypothyroidism, and 15 with subclinical hypothyroidism constituted the patient groups. In all, 15 age-matched healthy female volunteers were recruited as controls. When compared with controls, serum TNF-alpha levels showed no significant difference in any of the patient groups (P>.05). In the groups with hyperthyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism, IL-6 levels were significantly higher compared with control group values (P<.05). Hyperthyroid patients showed higher levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin, and a higher urinary deoxypyridinoline/creatinine ratio, compared with controls (P<.05). In subclinical hyperthyroidism, only ALP was found to be higher compared with control values. No significant correlations were made in any group between serum IL-6 or TNF-alpha level and bone turnover markers. Results suggest that serum IL-6 level and markers of bone turnover rate seem to be increased in hyperthyroidism. This finding may support the role of IL-6 in induction of bone turnover in hyperthyroid states.

Lipid peroxidation in patients with brain tumor.

Molecular and genetic signatures may predict brain tumor behavior and may soon guide tumor classification, diagnosis, and tumor-specific treatment strategies. Free oxygen radicals (FOR) are thought to take part in oncogenesis and cellular differentiation. This article explored the state of FORs and antioxidant system in patients with cerebral tumor. The serum concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzyme activities were measured in the serum of 35 patients with cerebral tumors (21 glioma, 14 meningioma) and 11 controls. MDA measurement was done with fluorometric method and catalase and GSH-Px enzyme activities were done with photometric method. Mean serum MDA levels, catalase, and GSH-Px enzyme activities were significantly higher for both glial and meningiomal tumor cases when compared to controls (p < .05). There is no significant difference between glioma and meningioma groups in terms of the aforementioned parameters (p > .05). In conclusion, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes as assessed by MDA, catalase, and GSH-Px were increased in patients with brain tumors, for this respect there is no difference between gliomas and meningiomas.

The importance of rigid nasal endoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of rhinolithiasis.

OBJECTIVES: Rhinolithiasis is the presence of mineralized and calcareous formations located in the nasal cavity. They have rare occurrence and can be easily confused with infection or obstruction of upper airways. If they are undetected for a long time, they may grow large enough to cause of nasal obstruction, mimicking sinusitis. Seven cases of rhinolithiasis were presented, and their diagnosis was made by rigid endoscopic nasal examination. Also computerized tomography scan was used to describe the size and site of the rhinoliths accurately. Our purpose was to determine the role of rigid nasal endoscopy in the diagnosis and the treatment of rhinolithiasis. METHODS: In this study, seven cases of rhinolithiasis, who were diagnosed and treated by rigid nasal endoscopy were presented. RESULTS: Between January 2000 and November 2004, seven cases (four males and three females; age ranged from 8 to 45 years) with rhinolithiasis were diagnosed. The most frequent symptoms were nasal obstruction with purulent rhinorhea, nasal and oral malodor. As complementary examinations, computerized tomography and simple X-ray of paranasal sinuses were used to locate and measure the dimension of calcareous mass, and to reveal possible invasion of the adjacent structures. The removal of rhinolithiasis was done with rigid nasal endoscopy under topical anesthesia in six cases and general anesthesia in one case. CONCLUSION: Rhinolithiasis is a rare condition but must always be suspected in patients with long standing nasal obstruction, nasal and oral malodor, purulent rhinorrhea and chronic headache.

The effects of short term (3 weeks) testosterone treatment on serum inflammatory markers in men undergoing coronary artery stenting.

OBJECTIVE: Inflammation markers can predict restenosis after successful intracoronary stenting. There is evidence that testosterone suppresses the expression of the inflammatory cytokines. We hypothesized that testosterone therapy after coronary stenting can reduce the inflammation markers. METHODS: We selected 41 men with coronary artery disease who underwent successful stent implantation for a >70% diameter stenosis of a major coronary artery. Patients, who had stable angina and positive exercise test results, were recruited after diagnostic coronary angiography. Twenty-five men were treated with 3 doses of i.m. testosterone administration once a week for 3 weeks following diagnostic angiography. Sixteen patients were recruited as a control group and they received standard therapy. First venous blood samples were obtained after angiography. Stents were implanted 3 weeks after diagnostic angiography. Second venous blood samples were taken 24 h after the coronary stenting. RESULTS: Baseline biochemical or hematological parameters were similar between the control and treatment groups. After coronary stenting, free testosterone, total testosterone, and sex hormone binding globulin were significantly elevated in the testosterone group (P<0.0001, P<0.0001 and P=0.02; respectively). After coronary stent implantation, there was a significant increase in IL-6 and CRP levels in the control group only (P=0.02 and P=0.038), while TNF-alpha levels were increased significantly in both groups (P=0.016 and P=0.014; respectively). Statistical analysis revealed that testosterone treatment prior to stent implantation attenuated IL-6 and hs-CRP levels significantly (P=0.042 and P=0.043; respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that 3 weeks testosterone treatment prior to intracoronary stenting results in a significant suppression in hs-CRP and IL-6 levels after the stent implantation.

Alterations in the biochemical markers of renal function after sevoflurane anaesthesia.

AIM: This study has been carried out to see whether renal function is acutely altered in patients undergoing sevoflurane anaesthesia. For this purpose, the urinary levels of markers of renal tubular function, namely leucine amino peptidase (LAP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and beta-2 microglobulin (beta-2M), and urinary albumin as a predictor of renal glomerular function were measured before and after sevoflurane anaesthesia. METHODS: This study was comprised of 20 patients (11 males and nine females) aged 18-55, who underwent various elective surgical procedures under general anaesthesia. Urine samples of all patients were collected before and 1, 2 and 8 h after the anaesthesia. The levels of LAP, GGT, beta-2M, and albumin were then expressed as factored by urinary creatinine. In all patients, the anaesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane (2% end-tidal) at a high flow-rate (6 L/min). RESULTS: Urinary beta-2M and LAP levels after anaesthesia were unchanged (P > 0.05). While urinary GGT and ALP levels were found elevated in the first hour, LDH levels were higher in the second hour (P < 0.05). They returned to normal levels in the later periods after the anaesthesia. Urinary albumin excretion (UAE) was significantly elevated in the second hour after the anaesthesia (P < 0.001). Although UAE was decreased in the eighth hour after the anaesthesia, it still remained higher than the pre-anaesthesia level (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a 2% end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane at a high flow-rate (6 L/min) acutely alters renal glomerular function but does not have a significant acute effect on biochemical markers of renal tubular damage.

Nightmares and serum cholesterol level: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether there is a relation between nightmares and serum lipid levels. METHODS: Fifteen subjects who met DSM-IV criteria for the diagnosis of nightmare disorder and 15 healthy control subjects participated in the study. We used an enzymatic colorimetric method for cholesterol and triglyceride determination. We measured high-density lipoprotien (HDL) cholesterol using the direct HDL-cholesterol method. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was calculated according to the Friedewald formula. RESULTS: Patients with nightmare disorder had lower serum triglyceride, lower total cholesterol, and lower LDL levels than healthy control subjects. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that nightmares are associated with low serum lipid levels.

Effect of cyproheptadine on serum leptin levels.

Leptin is a 167 amino acid protein encoded by the obesity gene that is synthesized in adipose tissue and interacts with receptors in the hypothalamus linked to the regulation of appetite and metabolism. It is known to suppress appetite and increase energy expenditure. Cyproheptadine is a piperidine antihistamine that increases appetite through its antiserotonergic effect on 5-HT2 receptors in the brain. Although both leptin and cyproheptadine are effective in controlling appetite, their interaction has not been addressed in clinical studies. This study evaluated serum leptin concentrations in patients who received cyproheptadine to treat a variety of disorders. Sixteen patients aged 7 to 71 years (mean, 26.25 years) were given cyproheptadine 2 to 6 mg/day for a minimum of 7 days. Body weight was measured and blood samples were obtained at baseline and after 1 week of treatment. Serum leptin levels were determined by leptin radioimmunoassay. The mean body weight at baseline (52.59 kg) did not differ significantly from that at 1 week after treatment (52.84 kg; P > .05), but the mean leptin level after 1 week of treatment with cyproheptadine (3.14 ng/mL) was 14.2% higher than that at baseline (2.75 ng/mL; P < .05). This increase may suggest that both leptin and cyproheptadine may affect appetite via similar receptors and that cyproheptadine does not impair leptin activity through these receptors. Further study will be necessary to clarify this relationship.

Hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory activities of Ballota glandulosissima.

Water extract of Ballota glandulosissima Hub.-Mor & Patzak (Lamiaceae) (BG) was investigated for anti-inflammatory activity using the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema test and for hepatoprotective effect on carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Biochemical parameters of hepatic damage such as serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin concentrations were determined. CCl(4) (0.8 mL/kg i.p. for 7 days) treatment increased the serum AST, ALT, ALP and bilirubin levels significantly as compared to controls. Treatment of animals with BG (100 mg/kg, i.p.) +CCl(4) (0.8 mL/kg i.p.) for 7 days significantly ameliorated the levels of AST, ALT and ALP elevated by the CCl(4) treatment alone. The results of biochemical tests were also confirmed by histopathological examination. BG together with CCl(4) treatment decreased the balloning degeneration but did not produced apoptosis of hepatocytes, centrilobular and bridging necrosis observed in the CCl(4) treatment alone. BG, at 100 mg/kg per os, showed a significant reduction (34.22%) in rat paw oedema induced by carrageenan. The reference anti-inflammatory drugs etodolac (50 mg/kg, p.o.) and indomethacin (3 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly reduced the oedeme by 43.42 and 95.70%, respectively. The present study reveals that the water extract of Ballota glandulosissima possesses promising protective activity against CCl(4) induced hepatic damage and anti-inflammatory activity in rats.

Investigation of antioxidant status in children with acute otitis media and tonsillitis.

OBJECTIVE: Antioxidant enzymes status was investigated in children with acute otitis media (AOM) and acute tonsillitis. The aim was to determine the effect of oxidative damage due to free radicals on the antioxidant enzymes status in children with AOM and acute tonsillitis. METHODS: We measured erythrocyte levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and activity of serum catalase, ceruloplasmin, albumin and total bilirubin in 23 children with AOM, 27 with acute tonsillitis and 17 control subjects. RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference between the groups for all parameters. All antioxidant activities except for albumin level were increased in the studies groups. When the values of AOM and acute tonsillitis were compared, there was statistically significant difference between the groups for erythrocyte GPx. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that not only a few antioxidant enzymes but almost all antioxidant activities showed a significant enhancement in children with AOM and acute tonsillitis.

Effect of glucose concentration on peritoneal inflammatory cytokines in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: It is known that glucose concentrations of peritoneal dialysis solutions are detrimental to the peritoneal membrane. In order to determine the effect of glucose concentration on cytokine levels of peritoneal fluid of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients, a cross-sectional study was performed. METHODS: Nine non-diabetic CAPD patients participated in two 8-h dwell sessions of overnight exchanges in consecutive days, with 1.36% and 3.86% glucose containing peritoneal dialysis solutions (Baxter-Eczacibas). Peritoneal dialysis fluid tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 levels were measured. RESULTS: TNF-alpha levels after 1.36% and 3.86% glucose used dwells were 23+/-14 pg/ml and 28+/-4 pg/ml, respectively (p=0.78). The IL-6 levels were 106+/-57 pg/ml and 115+/-63 pg/ml (p=0.81), respectively. CONCLUSION: In our in vivo study we found that the glucose concentration of the conventional lactate-based CAPD solution has no effect on basal IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels of peritoneal fluid. Further in vivo studies with non-lactate-based CAPD solutions are needed in order to determine the effect of glucose concentration per se on cytokine release.

Brief clinical study: Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in children with acute purulent meningitis and encephalitis.

In this study, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status were investigated in children with acute bacterial meningitis and encephalitis. The aim was to determine whether there was a possible role of free radicals in meningitis and encephalitis in childhood. Our study included 16 children with acute bacterial meningitis, 13 with encephalitis, and 17 control subjects. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and retinol levels were studied in all subjects within 6 h of admission. There was a statistically significant difference for serum MDA, GSH, and vitamin C between the groups. Serum MDA and vitamin C levels were higher, and serum GSH levels were lower in the study groups compared to the control group. Vitamin C levels were similar in both the encephalitis and control groups, but they were significantly lower in the children with encephalitis than the meningitis group. In conclusion, our study showed that serum MDA and GSH levels were affected in children with both meningitis and encephalitis, but vitamin C level was affected only in children with meningitis. Serum vitamin E, beta-carotene, and retinol levels were not changed in childhood meningitis and encephalitis.

Serum lipid concentrations in obsessive-compulsive disorder patients with and without panic attacks.

OBJECTIVE: To examine serum lipid levels in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and to test whether panic symptoms affect lipid concentrations in OCD patients. METHODS: We assessed 33 OCD patients and 33 healthy control subjects matched for sex and age. RESULTS: OCD patients had higher low-density lipoprotein, very-low-density lipoprotein, and tryglyceride levels, but lower high-density lipoprotein levels, than normal control subjects. We also found that only OCD patients with panic attacks had higher serum lipid concentrations, compared with normal control subjects. Serum lipid levels of pure OCD patients did not differ from control values. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that high serum lipid concentrations are related to panic anxiety rather than other symptoms of the illness.

The serum vitamin C levels in Behçet's disease.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of unknown aetiology, and recognised as a multi-system vasculitis. It has been postulated that an imbalance of the oxidant and antioxidant systems related to the disease are important in its pathogenesis. Previous publications have reported increased levels of enzymatic antioxidant defence systems in patients with BD. The non-enzymatic antioxidant systems, including vitamin C and uric acid, were looked for in the present study. For this aim, the serum malondialdehyde (MDA), an end product of lipid peroxidation, and vitamin C and uric acid, as endogenous antioxidants, were determined in 20 patients with BD (11 in active and 9 in inactive periods) and 20 healthy subjects. The MDA level was significantly higher in both the active and inactive period patients compared with the control group (p < 0.001, p < 0.05, respectively). The MDA level was also significantly higher in the active period patients compared with the inactive period patients (p < 0.05). The vitamin C levels were significantly lower in both the active and inactive period patients compared with the control group (p < 0.001, p < 0.05, respectively). There was no significant difference in the vitamin C level between the active and inactive period patients (p > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in uric acid levels between the groups (p > 0.05). In the patients group, a negative correlation was found between the levels of serum MDA and vitamin C (r=-0.517; p < 0.05). Our results indicate that decreased vitamin C and increased MDA levels reflect the increased levels of oxidative stress in BD patients, and this situation may be important in relation with its pathogenesis.

Evaluation of antioxidant status in children with acute bacterial meningitis and encephalitis.

Antioxidant status was investigated in children with acute bacterial meningitis and encephalitis to investigate the possible role of free radicals in children with meningitis and encephalitis. Our study included 16 children with acute bacterial meningitis, 13 with encephalitis, and 17 control subjects. Serum ceruloplasmin, uric acid, albumin, bilirubin superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels were studied in all subjects within 6 h of admission. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups for all parameters except for serum uric acid. All antioxidant activities except for albumin level were increased in the study groups. Albumin level was higher in the control group than those of meningitis and encephalitis groups. When the values of meningitis and encephalitis were compared, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups for serum SOD, GPx, ceruloplasmin, and albumin. In conclusion, our study showed that serum SOD, GPx, catalase, and ceruloplasmin were higher in children with acute bacterial meningitis and serum SOD, GPx, catalase, ceruloplasmin, and total bilirubin levels were increased in children with encephalitis. These findings suggest that antioxidant status was almost similar in both acute bacterial meningitis and encephalitis conditions in childhood.