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Elevated exhalation of hydrogen peroxide in patients with systemic sclerosis
Author(s) -
Łuczyñska M.,
Szkudlarek U.,
DziankowskaBartkowiak B.,
Waszczykowska E.,
Kasielski M.,
SysaJȩdrzejowska A.,
Nowak D.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2362.2003.01138.x
Subject(s) - medicine , exhalation , scleroderma (fungus) , gastroenterology , multiple sclerosis , cyclophosphamide , systemic disease , immunopathology , immunology , anesthesia , chemotherapy , inoculation
Background Systemic sclerosis is accompanied by an influx of activated phagocytes into distal airways. These cells release H 2 O 2 , which may evaporate from the airways surface and be detected in expired breath condensate. We tested whether patients with systemic sclerosis exhale more H 2 O 2 than healthy subjects and whether breath condensate H 2 O 2 levels correlate with some clinical parameters. Material and methods H 2 O 2 was measured fluorimetrically in the expired breath condensate of 27 patients (22 women, five men, mean age 49 ± 13·1 years) with systemic sclerosis and 27 age‐ and sex‐ matched healthy controls. Results Exhaled H 2 O 2 levels were 3·5‐fold higher (0·88 ± 0·62 µM vs. 0·25 ± 0·17 µM, P < 0·001) in the patients with systemic sclerosis than in the controls. Treatment with cyclophosphamide and/or prednisone (29 ± 50 months, range 3–168 months) did not significantly decrease H 2 O 2 exhalation (0·78 ± 0·50 µM, n = 10 vs. 0·94 ± 0·67 µM, n = 17, P > 0·05). No significant difference was found between patients with limited and diffuse scleroderma (1·03 ± 0·69 µM, n = 17 vs. 0·63 ± 0·41 µM, n = 10, P > 0·05). H 2 O 2 levels correlated with disease duration ( r = 0·38, P < 0·05) and time from the first Raynaud's episode ( r = 0·44, P < 0·05). Conclusions Patients with systemic sclerosis exhale more H 2 O 2 than healthy controls, suggesting involvement of reactive oxygen species in disease processes. Lack of significant intergroups differences in H 2 O 2 levels may have resulted from the small number of patients analyzed.