Lipid peroxidation and plasma antioxidant micronutrients in Crohn disease

Background: In Crohn disease (CD), the increased production of reactive oxy gen species from activated neutrophils may reduce plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins and result in increased oxidative stress. Objective. We compared lipid peroxidation, a measure of reactive-oxygen-spe cies production, and plasma antioxidant vitamin concentrations between CD p atients and healthy control subjects. Design: Thirty-seven nonsmoking CD patients (22 women and 15 men) were comp ared with an equal number of healthy control subjects who were matched by a ge, sex, and body mass index. In patients the mean CD activity index (CDAI) was 141.2 +/- 18.7 (range: 9.0-514), and 11 of 37 patients (30%) had a CDA I greater than or equal to 150. Seventy-eight percent of patients were taki ng greater than or equal to1 medication. Medication use by subjects include d the following: 5-aminosalicylic acid (40% of subjects), antibiotics (22%) , oral corticosteroids (30%), and immunosuppressants (19%). Results: Lipid peroxidation as measured by breath pentane output (CD patien ts, 7.47 +/- 0.98 pmol (.) kg(-1 .) min(-1); control subjects, 4.97 +/- 0.4 8 pmol (.) kg(-1 .) min(-1); P less than or equal to 0.025), breath ethane output (CD patients, 11.24 +/- 1.17 pmol(.)kg(-1.)min(-1); control subjects , 5.46 +/- 0.71 pmol(.)kg(-1.)min(-1); P less than or equal to 0.0005) and F-2-isoprostane (CD patients, 78.6 +/- 8.0 ng/L; control subjects, 60.6 +/- 3.7 ng/L; P less than or equal to 0.047) were significantly higher in CD p atients than in control subjects. Plasma antioxidant vitamins (ascorbic aci d, alpha- and beta -carotene, lycopene, and beta -cryptoxanthin) were all s ignificantly lower in CD patients than in control subjects. There were no s ignificant differences in macro- and micronutrient intakes between groups. Conclusion: Patients with CD are oxidatively stressed, which was observed e ven though 70% of patients had a CDAI less than or equal to 150 and 78% of them were taking medications to treat CD.