Antioxidant status in peripheral vascular atherosclerosis

Although involvement of free radicals in atherosclerosis is well researched, few parameters indicative of the body's antioxidant capacity have been analyzed in this disease. We analyzed total antioxidant capacity and a series of antioxidants in the plasma of subjects with atherosclerosis. The information obtained could help to understand the role of antioxidants in this disorder and to evaluate their potential use in the prevention of atherosclerosis. Fifty-five controls (24 males, 31 females) and 96 subjects with atherosclerosis of the carotid (53 subjects: 34 males, 19 females), the lower limbs (15 subjects: 12 males, 3 females), and both areas (28 subjects: 18 males, 10 females) were analyzed. All subjects were examined by echo-color Doppler. For carotid atherosclerosis, symptoms and neurologic status were evaluated. For lower-limb involvement, symptoms were evaluated according to Leriche-Fontaine. The following parameters were recorded: body mass index, smoking, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, and drugs taken. Plasma samples were analyzed for total antioxidant capacity, hypoxanthine, xanthine, uric acid, vitamin A, vitamin E, and coenzyme Q10. Vitamin A was higher (p < 0.01) in atherosclerosis patients than in controls, as was uric acid (p < 0.05). No correlation was found between the parameters examined in the present study. Although a wider series of parameters than previously examined in the literature was evaluated in this study, the information obtained was not clear, confirming that this type of study is complicated by a series of factors that influence the antioxidant defense system.