Thiol–disulfide Homeostasis in Acute Appendicitis

This study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of thiol–disulfide homeostasis in patients with acute appendicitis (AA). A total of 43 patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis in the emergency department and 59 healthy individuals were evaluated. Age, gender, white blood cell count, and thiol–disulfide homeostasis parameters (native thiol, total thiol, disulfide, disulfide/native thiol, native thiol/total thiol, and disulfide/total thiol ratios) were compared between groups. Thiol–disulfide homeostasis was determined using a newly developed method by Erel and Neþelioðlu. White blood cell counts were statistically significantly higher in the AA group, but no significant difference (P = 0.742) was found between native thiol, total thiol, and disulfide levels of the patient and control groups. Also, no statistically significant difference was observed in disulfide/native thiol, disulfide/total thiol, and native thiol/total thiol ratios (P = 0.117) between groups. This was thought to be a result of early diagnosis of AA in patients at the emergency department. Hence, the inflammatory response did not increase significantly at the time of diagnosis.