The relationship between severity of ulcerative colitis and thiol-disulphide homeostasis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine dynamic thiol-disulphide homeostasis in patients with ulcerative colitis, compare it with those of healthy control and to investigate the relationship between the severity of the disease and homeostasisMETHODS: A total of 78 patients and 58 healthy subjects were included in the study. Serum native thiol, total thiol and disulphide amounts were measured by using a novel automated method. Obtained results were compared and relationships were determined by correlation analysis. RESULTS: Serum native thiol, total thiol, disulphide amounts and disulphide/native thiol percent ratio (index) were significantly lower (p = 0.003 for index ratio and p < 0.001 for other parameters) in patients with ulcerative colitis than in healthy controls. Native thiol, total thiol and disulphide amounts were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission than in patients with active ulcerative colitis and near to those of healthy control. There were significant negative correlations between the severity of the disease and thiol-disulphide homeostasis parameters (r = -0.55, p < 0.001 for native thiol; r = -0.64, p < 0.0001 for total thiol; r = -0.65, p < 0.001 for disulphide and r = -0.33, p = 0.011 for index). CONCLUSION: The thiol-disulphide homeostasis was weakened in ulcerative colitis. Strong correlations between the activity of the disease and thiol-disulfide homeostasis indicate that homeostasis may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease (Tab. 3, Fig. 3, Ref. 30).

Association between serum vitamin D and parathyroid hormone levels in Turkish patients with colonic polyps.

UNLABELLED: Epidemiological and investigational studies have proved that vitamin D is important in autoimmune processes and has anticancerogenic properties. But the interplay between serum vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in colorectal polyps has been less clearly put forward. We evaluated serum vitamin D, PTH levels in Turkish people and tried to stratify colorectal polyps according to risk factors. Patients undergoing colonoscopy between January 2012 and March 2012 were considered to study serum vitamin D levels during winter. Study population comprised of 98 colorectal polyp and 197 normal colonoscopy patients. RESULTS: Serum vitamin D levels were not different between the groups (mean vitamin D level in polyp group 14.3 ± 11.1 vs. 12.7 ± 6.74 the normal group, p = 0.12). Likewise serum PTH levels were not different between the groups Patients with polyps were further classified as high and low risk polyps. When discriminant function analysis was conducted, the effects of vitamin D or PTH levels were not again significant. During the study period 16 colorectal carcinoma cases were detected. Serum vitamin D or PTH levels were not significantly different between colorectal cancer or overall study group patients. Finally serum vitamin D levels were stratified into quartiles. Likewise there was not any significant difference between the groups. The present study suggests that serum vitamin D and PTH levels were not different between colorectal polyp and control groups. And serum vitamin D levels were significantly low in both groups suggesting a significant vitamin D deficient state in Turkish patients.