Assessment of concentrations of oxidative stress parameters in children and teenagers with inflammatory bowel diseases

Introduction: Oxidative stress is a state in which there occurs increased activity of oxygen free radicals that can result in irreversible lesions in the body and can contribute to tissue damage in different diseases. Free radicals formed in excess can damage cells, particularly endothelial cells of blood vessels, through initiation of a peroxidation process concerning polyunsaturated fatty acids (PFA) forming cell membranes. Moreover, free radicals increase aggregation and protein denaturation, resulting in humoral disturbances of immune mechanisms concerning the complement system and immunoglobulins.
Aim: The aim of the study was to measure the concentration of selected parameters of oxidative stress in children and teenagers with inflammatory bowel diseases.
Material and methods: Ninety five patients between 10 and 18 years of age (average age 14.9 years) were qualified for the study. Analysed patients were divided into the following groups: I – children and teenagers with Crohn’s disease in remission (n = 14), II – children and teenagers with ulcerative colitis in remission (n = 13), III – comparative group, children and teenagers in whom the above-mentioned diseases and other chronic diseases were excluded, without features of inflammation (n = 68). The whole blood was collected from every patient at 8 a.m. The following substances were measured: concentrations of products of lipid peroxidation – compounds reacting with thiobarbituric acid (TBARS) (malonic dialdehyde) in erythrocytes, using the method of Placer et al., the whole blood concentration of anion radical peroxide released by activated granulocytes, using the method of Bellavite et al., blood concentration of nitrogen oxide, using the Griess reaction according to Marlett et al.
Results: Statistically significant differences concerning mean concentrations of malonic dialdehyde in group I in relation to the comparative group and in group II in relation to the comparative group were not proved. Statistically significant differences concerning mean concentrations of anion radical peroxide in group I in relation to the comparative group and in group II in relation to the comparative group were not observed. Similarly, statistically significant differences concerning mean concentrations of nitrogen oxide among patients from group I in relation to the comparative group and among patients from group II in relation to the comparative group were not proved.
Conclusions: On the basis of obtained results, it seems that pro-oxidative factors do not play an essential role in pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases in children and teenagers.