Urinary 8-isoprostaglandin F2α level in Behcet's disease

Although its etiology remains unknown, the increased production of reactive oxygen species in Behcet's disease (BD) have been reported. Furthermore, it has been suggested that vascular and endothelial tissue damage seen in BD is related to elevated reactive oxygen species generated by activated neutrophils from BD patients. To investigate the formation of lipid peroxidation in BD patients in vivo, urinary level of 8-isoprostaglandin F-2 alpha was quantitated by enzyme immunoassay after solid phase extraction in different clinical forms of BD patients. There was no difference in urinary level of 8-isoprostaglandin F-2 alpha between BD patient and healthy control group. There was also no difference in urinary levels of 8-isoprostaglandin F-2 alpha in subgroup analyses of BD patients, i.e. in mucocutaneous and vascular type BD patients; active and inactive BD patients. Contrary to the findings in literature, we found no difference in urinary level of 8-isoprostaglandin F-2 alpha between patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and healthy control group. These findings show no increase in lipid peroxidation despite the augmented formation of reactive oxygen species in BD patients. It may be interesting to assess formation of urinary level of 8-isoprostaglandin F-2 alpha in BD patients who do not take any medication. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.