Comparison of vitamin E levels in plasma, bronchoalveolar lavage, and lung tissues of adult pulmonary patients.
Plasma, bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BAL), and lung parenchyma were analyzed for vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations in three groups of patients routinely receiving oxygen therapy--two with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS and SARDS), a third with pneumonia (PNEU), as well as a fourth group of patients receiving little or no oxygen therapy (OTHER). Only plasma alpha- and gamma-tocopherols were significantly lower in patients receiving oxygen therapy compared to those not requiring oxygen. Among diagnosis groups, PNEU patients exhibited highest levels of alpha-tocopherol in BAL, though all groups on oxygen had greater amounts of alpha-tocopheryl quinone in BAL as compared to those of the OTHER group. No significant differences in BAL measures were observed between oxygen and non-oxygen groups, however. No statistical tests on lung measures could be performed between these groups because of insufficient sampling for the OTHER group. A highly significant relationship was observed (r = +0.73, p less than 0.004) between plasma vitamin E and lung vitamin E when expressed in terms of PUFA, whereas no significant relationship was observed if plasma vitamin E and lung vitamin E levels were compared directly. No relationship was obtained for BAL alpha-tocopherol (expressed per number of cells) and lung alpha-tocopherol. These findings support previous reports that in an appropriate setting plasma vitamin E:PUFA ratios along with smoking status may be used to evaluate lung vitamin E levels when also expressed in terms of PUFA.
Department of Clinical Nutrition, Rush Presbyterian St. Lukes Medical Center, Chicago.
C C
CC
Tangney
T B
TB
Stibolt
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L
Zheutlin
E
E
Jacobs
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M
Hanley
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000032:analysis*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000032:analysis*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D014810:Vitamin E