Thiol/Disulphide homeostasis and oxidative stress in patients with peripheral facial paralysis

INTRODUCTION: The main pathophysiological mechanism responsible from the peripheral facial paralysis (PFP) is the ischemia, inflammation and swelling of the facial nerve. The purpose of the present study was to assess the oxidative stress parameters including the thiol/disulphide homeostasis in patients with peripheral facial paralysis.
METHODS: A total of 32 patients with PFP and 32 healthy controls were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Serum samples were compared for thiol/disulphide homeostasis (TDH), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), paraoxonase (PON), stimulated paraoxonase (SPON), arylesterase (ARES), ceruloplasmin (CLP), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and catalase (CAT) levels.
RESULTS: There were no significant differences between PFP patients and the control group regarding age and gender distribution. Remarkably, TOS (p=0.034), CAT (p<0.001), ARES (p<0.001), native thiol (p<0.001), total thiol (p<0.001), and native thiol/total thiol ratio (p<0.001) were significantly higher in the control group. In contrast, serum ceruloplasmin level (p=0.005) as well as disulphide/native thiol (%) (p=0.001) and disulphide/total thiol (%) (p<0.001) ratios were found to be higher in PFP patients compared to the control group.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Thiol/disulphide homeostasis that was suggested as a useful indicator of oxidant/antioxidant imbalance may be a practical marker in diagnosis and follow-up of PFP. Further studies are warranted to determine the effects of nutritional and therapeutic approaches for normalization of oxidative stress in treatment and prevention of PFP.