title: Effect of alpha lipoic acid on the blood cell count and iron kinetics in hypertensive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The -lipoic acid (ALA) has been used as a treatment to reduce oxidative damage in Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH), but there are no in vivo studies reporting the effect of its mechanism of action on iron metabolism.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the antioxidant effect of -lipoic acid on Blood cell count (CBC) and iron metabolism in hypertensive subjects with or without anemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The sample consisted of 60 hypertensive patients that were randomly divided into treatment group (n = 32), receiving 600 mg / day of ALA for twelve weeks and control group (n = 28), receiving placebo for the same period. Blood cell count, serum iron, ferritin, Latent Iron-Binding Capacity (LIBC), Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC), Transferrin Saturation Index (TSI) and transferrin were assessed before and after intervention. To assess changes between groups, the Student t-test and ANOVA were used, adopting a significance level of 5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After intervention, ALA supplementation showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) association with the reduction of total leukocytes, increase in the number of neutrophils and reductions in the serum levels of iron and TSI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral administration of ALA as a therapeutic adjuvant changes the hematologic response of white blood cells and reduces the absorption of iron. It is observed that the mechanism of metals chelation by lipoic acid may be responsible for these changes and, consequently, could trigger a condition of iron deficiency anemia in hypertensive individuals.
authors.affiliation: Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, State University of Paraiba, Campina Grande, Brazil.. paulaflorencio@bol.com.br.
authors.forename: Paula Renata Florêncio
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, State University of Paraiba, Campina Grande, Brazil.. paulaflorencio@bol.com.br.
authors.forename: Danielle dos Santos
authors.initials: Ddos S
authors.lastname: Félix
authors.affiliation: Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, State University of Paraiba, Campina Grande, Brazil.. paulaflorencio@bol.com.br.
authors.forename: Paulo César Dantas da
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, State University of Paraiba, Campina Grande, Brazil.. paulaflorencio@bol.com.br.
authors.forename: Guêdijany Henrique
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, State University of Paraiba, Campina Grande, Brazil.. paulaflorencio@bol.com.br.
authors.forename: Mônica Oliveira da Silva
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Simões
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008063:Thioctic Acid; D007501:Iron