The Diagnostic Efficacy of Thiol-Disulfide Homeostasis in Sepsis Patients

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition with high mortality and complex pathophysiology that requires urgent diagnosis and treatment. Oxidative stress and disturbances in redox balance play a significant role in its pathogenesis. Thiol-disulfide homeostasis is a biochemical marker of oxidative stress and may have diagnostic potential in sepsis.

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of thiol-disulfide homeostasis in sepsis patients and its relationship with inflammatory markers and mortality.

Fifty sepsis patients and fifty age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Serum levels of total thiol, native thiol, disulfide, reduced thiol, and oxidized thiol were measured. Inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, and lactate, were also assessed. Group comparisons and correlation analyses were performed.

In the sepsis group, total thiol, native thiol, disulfide, and reduced thiol levels were significantly lower, while oxidized thiol levels and thiol oxidation-reduction ratios were significantly higher compared to controls. CRP, procalcitonin, and lactate levels were markedly elevated in sepsis patients. A negative correlation was observed between CRP and thiol-disulfide ratios. No significant association was found between thiol-disulfide homeostasis parameters and 30-day mortality.

Thiol-disulfide homeostasis parameters may serve as useful biomarkers in the diagnosis of sepsis but do not appear to predict mortality. Larger-scale studies are warranted to validate their clinical applicability and prognostic value.