The thiol-disulphide homeostasis in patients with acute pancreatitis and its relation with other blood parameters

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis is a common disease seen in emergency departments because of abdominal pain. The present study aims to evaluate the relation between measurements of thiol-disulfide parameters in patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and other blood parameters. METHODS: A total of 56 (56%) patients, who were admitted to the emergency department, and 44 (44%) healthy volunteers participated in this study. A total of 100 samples were taken from the participants. Detailed blood samples were taken from the patients at the time of arrival at the hospital. The thiol-disulfide level in serum was examined using a brand new method that was developed by Erel and Neselioglu in the venous blood samples of the patients who were diagnosed with acute pancreatitis during the admission. The data were evaluated in the computer medium. RESULTS: Gallstones were defined as the etiology of AP in 41 patients (73.2%); in one patient, hypertriglyceridemia (1.7%); in four patients, alcohol use (7.1%), and idiopathic 10 patients (17.8%). While the blood thiol levels were low, the disulfide levels were high at a significant level. No statistically significant relations were detected between the amylase, lipase, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which are other blood parameters, and thiol-disulfide balance parameters. CONCLUSION: The disruption of the thiol-disulfide balance may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis. In acute pancreatitis, since the thiol level is decreased in the blood, administration of the complementary therapies for this thiol deficiency may contribute to the treatment of the disease.