title: Vitamin E protects human skeletal muscle from damage during surgical ischemia-reperfusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The biochemical and morphological alterations induced in lower limb skeletal muscle by ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) during aortic surgery and the effect of vitamin E pretreatment were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of patients undergoing aortic aneurysm resection, one untreated and one treated with vitamin E, were examined. Quadricep muscle biopsies were taken after induction of anesthesia, at the end of ischemia, and after reperfusion. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content and morphology of biopsies were examined to assess peroxidative processes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ischemia did not induce an increase in MDA content but did increase neutrophil infiltration in muscle fibers of untreated patients. Reperfusion led to a significant increase in MDA content and to intermyofibrillar edema and mitochondrial swelling. The MDA content was not increased during ischemia and neutrophil infiltration was minimal in vitamin E treated patients. At reperfusion, the MDA content, the ultrastructural injuries and neutrophil infiltration were significantly reduced by the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin E is effective in reducing the oxidative muscle damage occurring after a period of I-R.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Novelli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Adembri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gandini
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Orlandini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Papucci
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Formigli
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Manneschi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quattrone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pratesi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Capaccioli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology; D011292:Premedication; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E; D008315:Malondialdehyde