Serum and tonsil tissue melatonin levels of patients with chronic tonsillitis
Erol Senturk1, Yavuz Selim Yildirim2, Omer Faruk Calim1, Alper Yenigun1, Orhan Ozturan1, Serife Evrim Kepekci Tekkeli3, Mustafa Volkan Kiziltas3
1Bezmialem Vakıf Üniversitesi Kulak Burun Boğaz Kliniği, İstanbul, Türkiye
2Doğuş Üniversitesi Hastanesi Kulak Burun Boğaz Kliniği, İstanbul, Türkiye
3Bezmialem Vakıf Üniversitesi Eczacılık Fakültesi, Analitik Kimya Anabilim Dalı, İstanbul, Türkiye
Keywords: Immunomodulatory, melatonin level, recurrent tonsillitis, tonsillectomy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare the serum, tonsil surface epithelial tissue and parenchyma levels of melatonin in children who underwent tonsillectomy due to recurrent tonsillitis.
METHODS: The study included 33 pediatric patients (17 males, 16 females; mean age 7.3 years; range, 3 to 10 years) scheduled for tonsillectomy surgery. Five milliliter venous blood samples and 25 g of two different types of tonsil tissues, parenchyma and capsule were collected from the patients and stored. High performance liquid chromatography was used for the determination of melatonin in plasma and tissue samples.
RESULTS: The tonsil surface tissue levels of melatonin were lower than the simultaneous plasma levels of melatonin (p<0.0135). The plasma levels of melatonin were higher than the simultaneous tonsil parenchyma tissue levels of melatonin (p<0.016). The tonsil surface tissue levels of melatonin were lower than the simultaneous tonsil parenchyma tissue levels of melatonin (p<0.002).
CONCLUSION: The plasma concentrations of melatonin and tonsil surface epithelial tissue and parenchyma concentrations of melatonin in children with chronic tonsillitis were low. According to this finding, we may recommend serum levels of melatonin to be checked in patients indicated for tonsillectomy.