Effects of vitamin E administration on the hemorheological status and redox homeostasis of patients with porphyria cutanea tarda treated with phlebotomy.
BACKGROUND
Conflicting results were reported about the efficacy of vitamin E (E) treatment in porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT). We conducted a study in PCT patients to investigate whether E treatment has any additional beneficial effects compared with phlebotomy (P) treatment alone on rheological and oxidative stress parameters.


METHODS
Twenty three patients with sporadic PCT in clinical remission and 10 healthy control patients were studied. All patients were treated with P prior to the study until clinical remission was achieved. Baseline routine laboratory [blood glucose, serum lipids, C-reactive protein (CRP), iron metabolism indices, liver function tests], oxidative stress [serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), plasma H-donor activity, plasma free SH-groups, erythrocyte glutathion peroxidase activity] and rheological parameters (whole blood and plasma viscosity, cell transit time, clogging rate) were measured in both groups. Then all PCT patients received E (tocopherol acetate) 200 mg/day for 8 weeks and at the end of treatment measurements identical to those performed at baseline were repeated.


RESULTS
Increased urine uroporphyrin, serum CRP, TBARS concentrations, whole blood and plasma viscosity and decreased plasma H-donor activity, free SH-group level, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity were detected in PCT patients treated with P alone compared with control group consistent with residual oxidative stress in PCT patients. E treatment decreased urine uroporphyrin and serum TBARS concentrations; increased plasma H-donor activity and did not influence whole blood and plasma viscosity compared with P treatment alone.


CONCLUSIONS
E treatment reduced the residual oxidative stress and did not influence increased plasma and whole blood viscosity present in PCT patients receiving P treatment prior to clinical remission.
Székely
E
E
Central Hospital of the Hungarian State Railways-Budapest, Hungarian Porphyria Center, Podmaniczky Street 111, H-1062 Budapest, Hungary. szekedit@freemail.hu
Vereckei
A
A
Almási
A
A
Rapavi
E
E
Tasnádi
Gy
G
Várnai
K
K
Pallai
Zs
Z
Lugasi
A
A
Blázovics
Anna
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability / Q000187:drug effects; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D018056:Hemorheology / Q000187:drug effects*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D018962:Phlebotomy; D017119:Porphyria Cutanea Tarda / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy* / Q000652:urine; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000097:blood; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis; D014578:Uroporphyrins / Q000652:urine; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids; D011166:Porphyrins; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014578:Uroporphyrins; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase