title: Plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins, selenium, total sulfhydryl groups and oxidative products in ischemic-stroke patients as compared to matched controls in Taiwan.
abstract: The possible involvement of oxidative damage and antioxidant protection has been suggested in the pathogenesis of stroke which is the second-leading cause of death in Taiwan. In this study we investigated the relationship between ischemic stroke and plasma status of antioxidants and oxidative products. Plasma levels of vitamin A, alpha-tocopherol, carotenoids, selenium (Se), total SH groups (T-SH), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and protein carbonyl, a marker of protein damage, were determined in ischemic-stroke patients (n = 36, blood sampled within 24 hrs after the clinical event) in comparison with 21 matched controls. The cholesterol-adjusted carotenoids and vitamin E were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the plasma of ischemic-stroke patients than those of the controls. TBARS were higher (P < 0.05) in the patients than in the controls but Se, T-SH and protein carbonyls were not significantly different between the two groups. Separation of the patients into small-artery ischemic stroke (SAIS, n = 17) and large-artery ischemic stroke (LAIS, n = 19) groups revealed that both carotenoids/cholesterol and vitamin E/cholesterol ratios were significantly lower in both LAIS and SAIS groups than the controls (n = 21) while vitamin A/cholesterol was not different among the three groups. TBARS were only significantly higher in the LAIS group. The results demonstrated that, within 24 hrs after the clinical event, the acute-ischemic stroke patients had lowered levels of cholesterol-adjusted carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol but elevated levels of TBARS in the plasma as compared to the matched controls. It remains to be resolved as to whether enhanced lipid peroxidation is a cause or a result of lowered antioxidants in ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chi-Mei Foundation Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000097:blood*; D013624:Taiwan; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood; D014815:Vitamins / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014815:Vitamins; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D002784:Cholesterol; D012643:Selenium