281 Use of Monoclonal Antibody Omalizumab in the Treatment of Urticaria Chronic

and Clinical Immunology Unit, Antalya Education and Training Hospital, Antalya, Turkey; Division of Cellular & Molecular Biology, Toronto Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey; Oncology Unit, Denizli Education and Training Hospital, Denizli, Turkey; Human Gene and Cell Therapy Center of Akdeniz University Hospital and Clinics, Antalya, Turkey; Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Clinical Allergy and Immunology, Tepecik Educational and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. Background: There is no data available to adequately explain the alterations in total antioxidant capacity, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde and total nitric oxide concentrations in severe persistent asthma and newly diagnosed allergic asthma patients. In the study below we have examined changes in total antioxidant capacity, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde and total nitric oxide levels in severe persistent asthma and newly diagnosed allergic asthma patients and the association(s) between these variables. Methods: The first group of patients included 6 male and 8 female subjects with severe persistent asthma, having a mean age of 42.4 years. A second group of subjects consisted of 14 newly diagnosed allergic asthma patients with a mean age of 43.8 years. All patients were followed in our clinic, and were evaluated by clinical status. A third group of 14 age-sex matched healthy controls were also included. Serum samples were collected and stored at –70 until use for the determination of total antioxidant capacity, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde and total nitric oxide concentrations. Serum IgE levels, ANA, RF, hepatitis markers, C3, C4 and eosinophil levels were evaluated in all patients. All assays were carried out in duplicate. Results: Total antioxidant capacity levels of Group IB, group II and group III were lower than the IA group. Total antioxidant capacity levels of groups II and III were higher than in group IB. Hydrogen peroxide concentrations in group IB were lower than in group IA, while concentrations in group II were higher than in group IB. The malondialdehyde concentration of group IB was lower than in all other groups. The malondialdehyde concentration of group III was higher than all other groups. The malondialdehyde concentration of group II was lower than in group III. The total nitric oxide level of group IB was lower than all other groups. The total nitric oxide level of group III was higher than all other groups, while that of group II was higher than for both groups IA/IB. Conclusions: To monitor the omalizumab treatment efficacy in the severe allergic asthma patients; total antioxidant capacity, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde and total nitric oxide concentrations might be new markers.