Serum bilirubin and uric acid antioxidant levels in rosacea patients.

BACKGROUND

Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that the pathogenesis is not fully understood. Although the significant role of oxidative stress in rosacea pathophysiology has been shown in recent studies, there is no study addressing the potential roles of bilirubin and uric acid (UA) in rosacea.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to assign serum bilirubin and UA antioxidant levels in rosacea patients.

METHODS

Eighty-seven rosacea patients and 81 healthy controls (HCs) similar age and gender were included in the study. From all study participants, blood samples were taken and the values of total bilirubin (Tbil), direct bilirubin (Dbil), indirect bilirubin (Ibil), and UA were analyzed in the laboratory of biochemistry.

RESULTS

The type of rosacea was erythematotelangiectatic in 51.7% of the patients, papulopustular in 43.7%, and phymatous in 4.6%. In rosacea group serum, Tbil, Dbil, Ibil, and UA values were found to be significantly lower than in the HCs. Male rosacea patients were found to have lower Tbil, Dbil, Ibil, and UA levels when compared with the males in the HCs. There was also the same significant difference in female patients.

CONCLUSION

Main finding of our study was that when compared with the control group, serum bilirubin and UA levels were significantly lower in rosacea patients. These levels sustain the hypothesis that antioxidant status and oxidative stress are important in the pathogenesis of rosacea.