title: Trace element status in Saudi patients with established atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traditional coronary risk factors do not fully explain variations in the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Epidemiological studies have implicated perturbations in selenium, copper, and zinc metabolism in the aetiology of CVD. However, these studies have been principally undertaken in Caucasian populations, in whom trace element intake is generally sufficient.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have measured serum and urine selenium, copper, and zinc; and superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and lipid peroxide concentrations in 130 Saudi male subjects with established CVD, and 130 age-matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diabetes mellitus, positive smoking habit (p<0.0001 for both), and hypertension (p<0.05) were more prevalent among CVD patients. Urinary copper (p<0.0001) and zinc (p<0.05) were higher among controls. Serum selenium concentrations were lower among CVD patients (p<0.001), and a high proportion (52%) had selenium levels below 79mug/L compared to controls (22%) (p<0.0001). Conditional logistic regression analysis, showed the characteristics differentiating CVD patients from controls were serum zinc (odds ratio (OR) 0.92, confidence interval (CI) 0.85-0.99, p<0.05), serum copper/zinc ratio (OR 0.31, CI 0.10-0.96), serum selenium (OR 0.07, CI 0.02-0.31, p<0.0001), and urine selenium (OR 3.34, CI 1.40-7.99, p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measures of trace metals status appear to be associated with the risk of atherosclerosis in a Saudi male population.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, King Abdul Aziz University, PO Box 12713, Jeddah 21483, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. em_alissa@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Eman M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Alissa
authors.forename: Suhad M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bahjri
authors.forename: Waqar H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Nabeel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Al-Ama
authors.forename: Gordon A A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Ferns
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D003710:Demography; D004032:Diet; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D014131:Trace Elements; D003300:Copper; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D012643:Selenium; D015032:Zinc