Assessment of Oxidative Stress and Plasma Gelsolin Levels in Children with IgA Vasculitis

Abstract

Oxidative stress has been proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of immunoglobulin A vasculitis (IgAV), but the available data remain insufficient. Our goal was to determine the role of the oxidant-antioxidant system and plasma gelsolin (pGSN) in patients with IgAV and its relationship with organ involvement. In the study, 30 individuals with IgAV diagnoses and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. All patients were examined in both the active and remission periods. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and pGSN levels were measured. Compared with the remission and control groups, active IgAV patients had higher serum MDA levels; however, this difference was not statistically significant. When comparing the acute period to remission and control, serum SOD levels were somewhat lower; however, the difference was not statistically significant (>0.05). pGSN levels were prominently low in IgAV patients both in the acute and remission phases (<0.05). No correlation was found between organ involvement, serum MDA, antioxidant enzyme (SOD), and pGSN levels. Low pGSN levels in patients with IgAV may be due to pGSN consumption during the acute episode of the inflammatory process. This may tilt the delicate equilibrium between oxidants and antioxidants, potentially amplifying reactive oxygen species generation.