Total Serum Oxidant/Antioxidant Status and Arylesterase Activity in Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis

BACKGROUND: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory disorder of the oral mucosa with unknown etiology. Oxidative stress (OS) is suggested to play a main role in the etiopathogenesis in RAS. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we hypothesize that a systemic OS is present in patients with RAS. METHODS: Forty-four patients with active RAS lesions and 38 healthy controls were being included in the study. Serum total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and paraoxonase 1 arylesterase (ARES) activity were being determined. RESULTS: RAS patients had significantly lower TAS levels and higher TOS and OSI values than controls. The patients had a lower ARES activity when compared to healthy controls. No correlations were observed between OS parameters and age, gender, duration of disease or frequency of RAS attacks per month. CONCLUSION: A systemic OS is determined with an imbalance in oxidant/antioxidant status and lower ARES activity in RAS. Systemic OS may have an important role in the pathogenesis of RAS formation.