Total antioxidative capacity is normal in sera from psoriasis patients despite elevated bilirubin, tocopherol and urate levels.

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Reactive oxygen species are thought to play a critical role in inflammation and are scavenged by antioxidants.

OBJECTIVE

We wanted to know whether the total antioxidative capacity or single antioxidative components in sera from psoriasis patients are decreased.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Well-known antioxidants of the serum were measured using commercial kits or determined by HPLC in the sera of 33 inpatients with severe psoriasis and in 36 healthy control persons. The total antioxidative capacity was measured using the ability of endogenous antioxidants to scavenge the 2, 2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation.

RESULTS

Several single antioxidative components were slightly elevated when considered groupwise, namely tocopherol (p = 0.001), bilirubin (p = 0.001) and urate which was increased over controls by about 33% (p= 0.01). Other parameters such as total protein and thiol content and ascorbic acid did not differ from controls.

CONCLUSION

To our surprise the total antioxidative activity was normal in sera from psoriasis patients although some components such as urate were even elevated.