ASSESSMENT OF SOME OXIDATIVE STRESS PARAMETERS IN METHOTREXATE TREATED PSORIASIS PATIENTS

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Reactive oxygen species produced in result of skin inflammation may cause disorders of the antioxidant defence systems and increased oxidative stress in psoriasis. The aim of the study was the assessment of certain redox stress parameters in methotrexate (MTX) treated psoriasis patients compared to a control group. The study included 28 patients diagnosed with psoriasis according to clinical criteria and included into groups according to Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PAST) score and treated with MTX. The control group included 32 healthy volunteers. We assessed the plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant status (TAS) (spectrophotometrically measured), as well as the PASI score of clinical progress. MDA was significantly higher in psoriasis patients (640.28 +/- 160.58 nmol/mu L, for MTX treated patients - on initiation, 540.20 +/- 114.25 nmol/mu L, for MTX treated patients - at 24 weeks after initiation versus 490.20 +/- 75.28 nmol/mu L in the control group of patients p=0.01); TAS level was lower in psoriasis patients as compared to control patients (1.88 +/- 0.28 mmol/mL - on MTX initiation, 2.54 +/- 0.32 mmol/mL at 24 weeks after initiation versus 2.84 +/- 0.22 mmol/mL - in the control group, p=0.01). The pathogenic mechanism involved in the development of psoriasis seems to produce disorders of the endogenous antioxidative systems. MTX treated psoriasis patients show lower oxidative stress activity than untreated psoriasis patients.