# Assessment of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Status in Allergic Rhinitis

## TL;DR

This study found that people with allergic rhinitis have higher oxidative stress and disrupted antioxidant balance compared to healthy individuals.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific oxidative stress markers with diagnostic potential in allergic rhinitis patients.

## Key findings

- Allergic rhinitis patients showed significantly lower total and native thiol levels and higher oxidative stress markers.
- Oxidative stress markers correlated with blood cell counts and biochemical parameters in AR patients.
- ROC analysis showed strong diagnostic potential for TT, NT, and disulfide levels in detecting AR.

## Abstract

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated inflammatory disorder triggered by aeroallergens. Oxidative stress (OS) is increasingly recognized as a key factor in AR pathophysiology. This study aimed to investigate dynamic thiol–disulfide homeostasis (TDH) and OS markers in AR patients compared to healthy controls. Methods: Sixty-two participants (31 AR patients, 31 controls) were enrolled. Hematological and biochemical parameters were measured. OS markers including total thiol (TT), native thiol (NT), disulfide, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) were assessed. Correlations between OS markers and laboratory parameters were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis evaluated the diagnostic performance of OS markers. Results: TT and NT levels were significantly lower in AR patients, whereas disulfide, disulfide/NT and disulfide/TT ratios, TOS and OSI were significantly higher. TAS levels were slightly lower in AR patients. TT and NT correlated positively with eosinophil counts and negatively with monocyte, platelet, AST, and creatinine levels. ROC analysis indicated strong diagnostic potential: TT (AUC = 0.749, cutoff 415 µmol/L, sensitivity 90%, specificity 61%), NT (AUC = 0.786, cutoff 373.2 µmol/L, sensitivity 90%, specificity 71%), and disulfide (AUC = 0.690, cutoff 20 µmol/L, sensitivity 74%, specificity 61%). Conclusions: AR patients exhibit disrupted TDH and elevated OS. These markers may serve as sensitive indicators of oxidative imbalance, offering potential diagnostic and therapeutic insights into AR management.