title: Antioxidant supplementation enhances antioxidant capacity and mitigates oxidative damage following acute ischaemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test whether supplementary antioxidants immediately following acute ischaemic stroke will enhance antioxidant capacity and mitigate oxidative damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomised controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  A university teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 48 acute ischaemic stroke patients within 12 h of symptom onset.
  
  
  METHODS
  Daily oral 800 IU (727 mg) of alpha-tocopherol and 500 mg of vitamin C (n = 24), or no treatment (n = 24) for 14 days. Treatment group and controls were matched for stroke subtype and age.
  
  
  METHODS
  alpha-Tocopherol, ascorbic acid, total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) before treatment, at day 7 and day 14 following recruitment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 14 days of vitamin supplementation significantly improved plasma alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic concentrations in the treatment group compared with the decrease seen in the control group (P < 0.005 for difference in cumulative changes). TAOC increased significantly in the treatment group compared with controls (P < 0.003). There was a significant reduction in plasma MDA concentration in the treatment group, in contrast to the increase seen in the control group (P < 0.002). After adjusting for clinical complications CRP concentrations within 90 days postinfarct were significantly lower in the treatment group compared with controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supplementation with antioxidant vitamins within 12 h of onset of acute ischaemic stroke increased antioxidant capacity, reduced lipid peroxidation products and may have an anti-inflammatory effect.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Trust.
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Institute for Studies on Ageing and Human Nutrition Unit, The University of Sheffield, Northern General Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ullegaddi
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Gariballa
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid