Iraqi Journal of Medical Sciences






   
Vol. 9 Issue 2 April - June / 2011
Published on website | Date : 2016-04-19 12:15:19

Serum Copper, Zinc and Oxidative Stress in Patients with Psoriasis

Estabraq ARK Alwasiti, Wasan T Al-Rubayee, Sami M Al-Tammimy


Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by well-demarcated erythema and scaly plaques. The pathogenesis of psoriasis still remains unclear. An increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and insufficient antioxidant activity associated with the pathogenesis of psoriasis lesions.
Objective: To evaluate the link between oxidative stress parameters and some trace elements like zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) ions with the pathogenesis of psoriasis disease.
Method: Fifty patients with psoriasis were included in this study, 32 patients with localized psoriasis, and 18 with general psoriasis, another fifty healthy controls were included in this study. We measured serum malondialdehyde (MDA), super oxide dismutase (SOD), vitamins E and A, and Zn and Cu in patients and control subjects.
Results: Serum MDA in total psoriasis patients (1.8±0.2 nmol/ml) was significantly higher than those of control (0.6±0.19 nmol/ml; p<0.001). The SOD activity (9.1±1.0 U/ml) in serum of total psoriasis patients was significantly lower than that of controls (10.8±0.3 U/ml). serum vitamin A and E patients (56.8±3, 9.0±1.0 µg/ml respectively) were significantly lower than control (59.0±1.3, 9.7±0.9 µg/ml correspondingly p<0.0001), for trace elements the level of Zn in serum patients (79.0±9.1µg/ml) was significantly lower than control (83.3±5.8 µg/ml), while for Cu statistically significant higher levels were noted in patients (111.8±14.2 µg/ml) as compared with control (106.0±9.0 µg/ml).
Conclusion: Our results suggest that lipid peroxidation of cellular membrane of keratiocytes by free radicals and decreased antioxidants may associate the pathogenesis of psoriasis lesion. In addition, there was a possible benefit of an enriched diet or of a supplement of vitamins A, E and Zn in treatment of psoriasis diseases.
Key words: Psoriasis, Zinc, Copper, Oxidative Stress, malondialdehyde, super oxide dismutase


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