Gender-related differences in oxidative stress levels among elderly patients with coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether gender-related differences exist concerning oxidative stress levels in aged patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
Case-control.


METHODS
Clinical and research center.


METHODS
Elderly subjects of both genders with or without CAD.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Serum hydroperoxides (HP) as index of oxidative stress levels.


RESULTS
The HP levels were comparable in aged control subjects of both genders (376 +/- 20 arbitrary units [AU] in women, 333 +/- 19 AU in men) but significantly increased in CAD (456 +/- 15 AU) compared with all control subjects (357 +/- 14 AU). Moreover, among CAD patients, the HP levels were higher in women than in men (536 +/- 33 AU and 428 +/- 15 AU, respectively). Multivariate analysis, in which CAD represented the dependent variable, indicated that dyslipidemia was independently associated with CAD in men (odds ratio [OR] 5.8), whereas HP >50th percentile represented the only strong independent risk factor for CAD in elderly women (OR 8.4).


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in oxidative stress levels between elderly males and females might provide a biochemical basis for the epidemiologic differences in CAD, which might help to open new opportunities in the management of patients with cardiovascular disease from a gender point of view.
Vassalle
Cristina
C
CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology, Pisa, Italy. cristina.vassalle@ifc.cnr.it
Maffei
Silvia
S
Boni
Claudio
C
Zucchelli
Gian Carlo
GC
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010545:Peroxides / Q000097:blood; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D010545:Peroxides