ERYTHROCYTE ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND TRACE-ELEMENT LEVELS IN BEHCETS-DISEASE

Selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and antioxidant enzyme (superox ide dismutase [SOD] and glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px]) levels in ser a were detected in Behcet patients. Age and sex matched controls were used to find out if oxidative stress takes place in the etiopathogenes is of Behcet's disease. Superoxide dismutase levels were found to be l ower in the whole patients group when compared to controls. In whole p atients and inactive patients' group Zn and Se levels were found to be higher, but not different in the active patients group when compared to controls. No significant difference was found between the groups as Cu and glutathione peroxidase levels were taken into consideration. A ccording to the results of the present study, SOD level is low in Behc et's disease patients' sera independent from the phase of the disease, and as a result of decreased SOD activity, increased production of fr ee oxygen radicals may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of the dise ase.