[Increased level of lipid peroxidation products and disturbances in oxidation-reduction balance in erythrocytes from patients suffering from systemic sclerosis, who are chronically treated with vitamin E].

UNLABELLED: Systemic sclerosis is a chronic connective tissue disease of unknown pathogenesis. In view of the reports of essential role of oxidative stress in development of disease, trials with supportive care with vitamin E are undertaken. The aim of the study was to estimate parameters of oxidation-reduction balance in erythrocytes from scleroderma patients, who were chronically treated with vitamin E compared with healthy controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the study there were included 14 women with systemic sclerosis (limited form - ISSc - n = 10, diffuse form - dSsc - n = 4, age 53.8 lat +/- 11.5), who were treated with vitamin E in dose 400 mg/day not shorter than in 6 months period and 23 healthy women (age 52.7 +/- 11.2) as a control group. The following measurements were done: hs CRP (immunoturbidimetic method), glutathione peroxidase activity (Gpx--method of Rice-Evans, 1991), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD--method of Misra, 1972), catalase activity (CAT--method of Aebi H, 1984), free thiol group concentration (SH--method of ElIman, 1959), level of lipid peroxidation products (TBARs--method of Stocks and Dormandy, 1971), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) depended of slow (TAC "slow") and fast (TAC "fast") antioxidants. RESULTS: . In both forms of systemic sclerosis significantly higher TBARs in comparison of healthy controls (5.81 +/- 1.57 vs 4.28 +/- 0.89 nM TBARS/gHb; p < 0.01) was observed. Patients with limited systemic sclerosis have significantly higher activity of Gpx (59.9 +/- 26.11 vs 32.19 +/- 11.67 U/mg Hb; p < 0.01), and no differences in activity of CAT and SOD. In patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis significantly lower activity of CAT (173.06 +/- 60.3 vs 284.47 +/- 43.33 U/mg Hb; p < 0.01) and SOD (2334.95 +/- 193.97 vs 3231.47 +/- 840.21 U/mg Hb; p < 0.05) was observed. There are no differences in TAC and SH between investigated groups. CONCLUSIONS: In scleroderma patients despite chronical treatment with vitamin E, oxidation-reduction balance disturbances are observed in the form of increased level of lipid peroxidation products. Besides, a lower activity of catalase and superoxide dysmutase in patients who suffer from diffuse form of systemic sclerosis is noted. Patients with limited systemic sclerosis have higher glutathione peroxidase activity.