[Changes of oxidative stress in peripheral serum of patients with allergic rhinitis]

To examine the changes of oxidative stress biomarkers in peripheral serum of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), so as to investigate the role of oxidative stress in pathogenesis of AR.

The levels of serum nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as the activities of serum nitric oxide synthase (NOS), antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were measured in 48 AR patients and 23 healthy controls. Statistical analysis was performed using a SPSS 13.0 software.

The level of serum NO in AR group [(97.92 ± 73.42) µmol/L] was higher than that in healthy control group [(64.04 ± 29.54) µmol/L], the difference was significant (t = -0.281, P < 0.05). The ratio of inducible NOS (iNOS) to total NOS (TNOS) in AR group (0.51 ± 0.11) was higher than that in healthy control group(0.45 ± 0.15), the difference was significant (t = -2.061, P < 0.05). The activity of serum GSH-Px in AR group [(258.24 ± 45.25) U/(ml·min)] was higher than that in healthy control group (215.11 ± 47.62) U/(ml·min)], the difference was significant (t = -2.235, P < 0.05). Although activity of SOD, concentration of MDA in AR group had a tendency to increase and decrease, respectively, no significant statistical difference was found as compared to the control group (P > 0.05).

Oxidative stress is involved in the pathophysiology of AR, however, iNOS-NO pathway may play a more important role in AR pathogenesis.