P0645 REDUCED SERUM ANTIOXIDANT CONCENTRATIONS IN CROHN???S DISEASE

Abstract

Introduction: Oxidative stress may be important in perpetuating mucosal damage and inflammation in Crohn’s disease, and lead to low circulating endogenous antioxidants. Low Beta-carotene may also be a marker of malabsorption or poor nutrition. AIM: To evaluate the levels of anti-oxidants (serum beta-carotene, vitamin A and Vitamin E) in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC) and disease controls. Methods: Blood samples from children with CD, UC and disease control were stored at −20°C and analysed. Background information on these patients was collected, such as the date of sample collection, histology, blood test and current medication. All patients had been confirmed with CD or UC following endoscopy. The controls were paediatric patients who had been investigated for food allergy, had had also undergone endoscopy to confirm the absence of Crohn’s disease. Results: The mean serum beta-carotene levels of CD patients were 0.069+/− 0.053. Eight out of 13 Crohn’s patients had below normal levels (0.24 +/− 0.15) of betacarotene. In the disease control (mean: 0.097+/− 0.05 mg/l) and UC group (mean:0.289+/−0.3 mg/l), b-carotene levels remained relatively unaffected with many results within the normal range. Levels of vitamin E are below the normal range in 6 of 12 CD patients (mean:7.81+/−3.23 mg/l). Vitamin E levels are within the normal range (6.83+/− 10.89 mg/l) for all but 2 in the disease control group and 2 in the UC group. All but one of CD patients had vitamin A levels below the normal range (0.12+/− 0.72)). Vitamin A levels were normal in disease control and UC patients. Conclusion: 62% of CD patients had lower than normal levels of betacarotene compared with 26% of disease control and UC patients. Similarly, 50% and 58% of CD patients were below normal for vitamin E and vitamin A levels, compared to 11% and 5% of control and UC patients, respectively. These findings suggest that there is a reduced betacarotene and vitamin E and A in CD due to low endogenous or nutritional antioxidants, or chronic intestinal inflammation in CD due to increased free radical production and oxidant stress injury.