Plasma lycopene, other carotenoids, and retinol and the risk of cardiovascular disease in women.
BACKGROUND
Growing evidence suggests that lycopene has significant in vitro antioxidant potential. Lycopene has rarely been tested in prospective studies for its role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention.


OBJECTIVE
We examined the association between plasma lycopene and the risk of CVD in middle-aged and elderly women.


METHODS
A prospective, nested, case-control study was conducted in 39 876 women initially free of CVD and cancer in the Women's Health Study. Baseline blood samples were collected from 28 345 (71%) of the women. During a mean of 4.8 y of follow-up, we identified 483 CVD cases and 483 control subjects matched by age, smoking status, and follow-up time. Plasma lycopene, other carotenoids, retinol, and total cholesterol were measured.


RESULTS
In analyses matched for age and smoking, with adjustment for plasma cholesterol, the relative risks (RRs) and 95% CIs of CVD in increasing quartiles of plasma lycopene were 1.00 (referent), 0.78 (95% CI: 0.55, 1.11), 0.56 (0.39, 0.82), and 0.62 (0.43, 0.90). In multivariate models, the RRs were 1.00 (referent), 0.94 (0.60, 1.49), 0.62 (0.39, 1.00), and 0.67 (0.41, 1.11); those in the upper compared with the lower half of plasma lycopene had an RR of 0.66 (0.47, 0.95). For CVD, exclusive of angina, women in the upper 3 quartiles had a significant multivariate 50% risk reduction compared with those in the lowest quartile. The stepwise addition of individual plasma carotenoids did not affect the RRs.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher plasma lycopene concentrations are associated with a lower risk of CVD in women. These findings require confirmation in other cohorts, and the determinants of plasma lycopene concentrations need to be better understood.
Sesso
Howard D
HD
Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA. hsesso@hsph.harvard.edu
Buring
Julie E
JE
Norkus
Edward P
EP
Gaziano
J Michael
JM
D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077276:Lycopene; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene