The oxidant-antioxidant balance in systemic sclerosis cases with interstitial lung involvement.

We aimed to assess the plasma oxidant and antioxidant levels in systemic sclerosis (SS) patients with interstitial lung involvement. Twenty-seven female SS patients and 17 healthy female volunteers were included in the study. Plasma levels of oxidants and antioxidants levels were studied of two groups. The median oxidant and antioxidant levels in study and control groups were, MDA 5.2 +/- 0.4/3.7 +/- 0.5 nmol/ml (P < 0.001), NO 45.4 +/- 3.7/34.2 +/- 2.9 nmol/l (P < 0.001), SOD 25.6 +/- 2.3/24.6 +/- 2.0 U/ml (P > 0.05), catalase 99.9 +/- 9.9/140.0 +/- 10.0 U/ml (P < 0.001), vitamin E 20.5 +/- 1.3/22.6 +/- 2.0%mg (P < 0.001), vitamin C 70.6 +/- 8.7/83.5 +/- 7.3 mg/dl (P < 0.001), respectively. There was also no correlation between plasma levels of oxidants-antioxidants levels and disease duration, duration of pulmonary signs, pulmonary function test values, HRCT scores in SS patients (P > 0.05). In our study, the oxidant burden in SS patients with interstitial lung involvement was found to be increased; however no correlation was detected between the severity of lung involvement and oxidant-antioxidant levels.