Thiol-disulfide balance and total oxidant-antioxidant status in patients
with chronic hepatitis C
Abstract
Objective: Increasing evidences suggest that oxidative stress is closely
related to the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The
purpose of this study was to examine the dynamic thiol/disulfide
homeostasis (DTDH) and total oxidant/antioxidant status in patients with
HCV infection. Methods: Levels of serum total thiol (TT), native thiol
(NT), disulfide (DS), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant
status (TAS), and oxidative stress index (OSI; TOS/TAS ratio) as
oxidative stress markers were determined in 162 individuals, including
74 patients with HCV infection and 88 non-HCV controls. Results: The NT,
TT levels and NT/TT ratio were significantly lower and DS level, DS/NT
and DS/TT ratios were significantly higher in HCV group compared to the
control group. The TOS and OSI values were significantly higher and the
TAS level was significantly lower in the HCV group than in the control
group. No significant correlations were found between oxidative stress
markers and albumin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate
aminotransferase and bilirubin levels in patients with HCV infection. A
negative correlation was found only between OSI and albumin. Conclusion:
These results indicate that patients with HCV infection are vulnerable
to oxidative stress and have disturbed status of oxidant and
antioxidant.