Serum levels of antioxidant vitamins in relation to coronary artery disease: a case control study of Koreans.
With the changes in trends of disease pattern from infectious to chronic degenerative disease, cardiovascular disease has been considered as the major cause of death in Korea. Numerous studies have been done on the antioxidant effects of some vitamins in the prevention of chronic illness, but not many in relation to the cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the relation between antioxidant vitamins, mainly alpha-tocopherol (alpha-T) and beta-carotene (beta-C), and coronary artery disease (CAD) such as angina pectoris and myocardial infarction has been investigated in this study. The blood samples were obtained from the CAD patients who were angiographically diagnosed within a month (100 case group). Patients who had an experience of PTCA or CABG were excluded from the study. Control subjects were healthy adults who had normal EKG values, no chest pain and no past history of cardiac disease (100 control group). All subjects were free for serum lipid lowering drugs. Serum alpha-T and beta-C were analysed using HPLC. In addition to antioxidant vitamins, serum lipids (total cholesterol, HDL, TG) were also measured. Each case and control was matched in terms of age and sex. And all the CAD risk factors such as blood pressure, smoking, alcohol, serum lipid profile and BMI were adjusted to determine pure effect(s) of alpha-T and beta-C on the CAD. The concentrations of both alpha-T and beta-C were significantly lower in the CAD group than those in control group (P < 0.05); in CAD group, mean values of alpha-T and beta-C were 11.9 +/- 7.2 (micrograms/ml), 35.8 +/- 3.1 (micrograms/dl) respectively. As for the levels of beta-C, it shows inverse relation with age, but not for the alpha-T levels. Serum levels of both vitamins did not show any significant differences in terms of sex, but men have a tendency o higher levels of beta-C, but lower levels of alpha-T.
Kim
S Y
SY
Department of Food and Nutrition, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
Lee-Kim
Y C
YC
Kim
M K
MK
Suh
J Y
JY
Chung
E J
EJ
Cho
S Y
SY
Cho
B K
BK
Suh
I
I
D000328:Adult; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood*; D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood
D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene