Antioxidant-oxidant status in patients with hydatid cyst

Objectives: To determine whether oxidative stress plays a role in the pathogenesis of hydatid cyst by examining levels of total antioxidant status, total oxidant status, oxidative stress index, and activities of the enzymes paraoxonase and arylesterase in patients with hydatid cyst. Methods: Thirty patients with hydatid cyst whom were positive for indirect hemagglutination and EchinococcusgranulosusIgGELISA tests were included in the patient group. Thirty-five healthy subjects that were negative for hydatid cyst by indirect hemagglutination and Echinococcus granulosus IgG ELISA tests, and did not have any parasites on stool inspection constituted the control group. Total antioxidant status, total oxidant status levels and paraoxonase, arylesterase activities were determined using commercial kits on an autoanalyzer. Oxidative stress index was calculated from a percent ratio of total peroxide level to the total antioxidant status level. Results: Serum total antioxidant status, total oxidant status and oxidative stress index levels of patients with hydatid cyst were significantly increased compared to the control group (p <0.05). Paraoxonase, and arylesterase activities of patients with hydatid cyst were significantly lower than the control group (p <0.05). Conclusion: Oxidative stress is increased in patients with hydatid cyst resulting in decreased paraoxonase and arylesterase activities. Increased oxidative stress might lead to increased tissue necrosis and inflammation. Therefore administration of an antioxidant therapy in addition to the routine treatment should be considered in this group of patients. It should also be noted that anti-atherosclerotic effect is reduced for a prolonged time secondary to decreased paraoxonase activity in cases of delayed diagnosis of hydatid cyst.