Total antioxidative capacity is normal in sera from psoriasis patients despite elevated bilirubin, tocopherol and urate levels

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Reactive oxyg en species are thought to play a critical role in inflammation and are scav enged by antioxidants, Objective: We wanted to know whether the total antio xidative capacity or single antioxidative components in sera from psoriasis patients are decreased. Material and Methods: Well-known antioxidants of t he serum were measured using commercial kits or determined by HPLC in the s era of 33 inpatients with severe psoriasis and in 36 healthy control person s, The total antioxidative capacity was measured using the ability of endog enous antioxidants to scavenge the 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-s ulfonic acid) radical cation, Results: Several single antioxidative compone nts were slightly elevated when considered group-wise, namely tocopherol (p = 0.001), bilirubin (p = 0.001) and urate which was increased over control s by about 33% (p = 0.01). Other parameters such as total protein and thiol content and ascorbic acid did not differ from controls. Conclusion: To our surprise the total antioxidative activity was normal in sera from psoriasi s patients although some components such as urate were even elevated.