Patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis have low serum thiol levels, and these low levels are correlated with higher disease activity scores.

Objective This study compared thiol/disulfide balance and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels between the patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) and healthy controls. Additionally, the study investigated the relationship between AAV disease activity scores, organ involvement, and levels of IMA and thiol/disulfide molecules. Methods Forty-six AAV patients and 45 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS) version 3 was used for AAV disease activity. Disulfide (-SS), native thiol (-SH), and total thiol (-SH+-SS) molecule analyses were performed using an automatic spectrophotometric method, and IMA calculations were performed using the albumin-cobalt binding test. An increase in the -SS/(-SH+-SS) ratio was considered indicative of a shift towards oxidation, while an increase in the -SH/(-SH+-SS) ratio was suggested a shift towards antioxidation. Results The -SS/(-SH+-SS) ratio was significantly higher [β: 0.482, odds ratio (OR) confidence interval (CI) 95%: 0.618 (0.432-0.882), p=0.008] and the -SH/(-SH+-SS) ratio was lower [β: -0.242, OR (CI 95%): 1.273 (1.065-1.522), p=0.008] in the AAV group compared to the control group. A significant association was found between -SH and BVAS-3 [β: -8.202, CI 95%: -16.108- (-0.267), p=0.043]. Conclusion Thiol/disulfide molecules are shifted towards oxidation in AAV patients compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, patients with higher BVAS-3 disease scores exhibit lower serum thiol levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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