RESUMO
Oxidative stress and hepatocellular pathological changes are common associations with chronic hepatitis C virus [CHC] disease. The aim of this study was to assess serum antioxidant-oxidant [Redox] balance in patients with CHC infection before and after intake of the traditional antiviral therapy [pegylated interferon alpha-2b and oral ribavirin]. Blood samples from 50 biopsy-proven CHC patients, with no prior anti-viral treatment and persistently elevated serum transaminase levels for 6 months, as well as 15 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were used for determination of the antioxidants: reduced glutathione [GSH], superoxide dismutase [SOD], alpha tocopherol and ascorbic acid as well as lipid peroxidation [LPO] index [malondialdehyde [MDA]]. The measurements were repeated in the diseased group 25 weeks after pegylated interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin combination therapy. Serum levels of bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase [AST], and alanine aminotransferase [ALT] were significantly higher in CHC patients than in the control group [P < 0.05]. Pretreatment serum MDA values were significantly higher in patients with CHC infection than the control group [P < 0.001], while serum antioxidant levels were significantly lower [P < 0.001]. Responders [10 patients] had lower pretreatment serum levels of MDA than non-responders [35 patients] [P < 0.001]. Both groups were comparable for the antioxidant serum levels. There was significant negative correlation between serum MDA and serum SOD, GSH, alpha tocopherol, and ascorbic acid concentrations in CHC patients. On the other hand, there was no correlation between the studied parameters and serum bilirubin, albumin, ALT, and AST. Redox imbalance was detected in patients with CHC. Responders had significantly lower levels of MDA than non-responders. Serum MDA may be used as a pretreatment predictor of response to antiviral treatment in patients with CHC
RESUMO
Background: psoriasis is T cell mediated disorder in which the cytokine network is extremely complex, involving the actions and interactions of multiple cytokines. Psoriasis vulgaris was reported to be associated with T helper cell type 1 [Th1] upregulation and T helper cell type 2 [Th2] downregulation
Objective: this cross section study was aimed to evaluate the changes in serum levels of IFN-gamma and IL4 in psoriasis vulgaris patients and correlate these parameters with psoriasis area severity index score [PASI]
Subjects and methods: this work was achieved through the study of 24 psoriasis vulgaris patients [16 males, 8 females, age ranged from 24 to 62 years] and 12 age and sex matched healthy controls. They were subjected to thorough history taking, general and dermatological examination for patients and controls. PASI score was calculated for every one of psoriatic patients. IFN-gamma and IL4 serum levels were assessed for patients and control by quantitative sandwich enzyme immuneo-assay technique. The patients were classified into three groups according the duration of the disease, a group with duration up to 5 years [6 patients], a group with duration from 5 to 10 years [10 patients] and the third one with duration more than 10 years [8 patients], according to PASI score into two groups a group with PASI score up to 15 [14 patients] and a group with PASI score more than 15 [10 patients]
Results: the serum level of IFN-gamma was significantly higher in psoriasis vulgaris patients compared to controls and serum level of Il-4 was significantly lower in psoriasis vulgaris patients compared to controls. There was highly significant positive correlation between serum level of IFN-gamma and PASI score. There were significant inverse correlation between serum level of IL4 and each of PASI score and serum IFN-gamma. There was significant difference in the serum levels of IFN-gamma and IL4 between groups of psoriatic patients with different PASI scores, while the difference between groups with different duration of the disease was non-significant
Conclusion: psoriasis vulgaris is associated with high serum level of IFN-gamma indicating Th1 upregulation and low serum level of IL-4 indicating Th2 down regulation. These changes in IFN-gamma and IL-4 serum levels were significantly correlated to PASI score