Blood oxidant/antioxidant status of atherosclerotic patients

In the present study, it is aimed to investigate oxidant/antioxidant status of plasma and erythrocytes from atherosclerotic patients and to establish the possible role of oxidant stress in the formation and progression of atherosclerosis. Antioxidant potential (AOP) values and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were studied in erythrocyte and plasma samples from 40 atherosclerotic patients and 38 healthy controls. A total of 13 subjects in each group were smokers. AOP was found unchanged in erythrocytes but lower in plasma samples (P<0.0005) from atherosclerotic patients as compared with those of the controls. MDA levels were however higher in erythrocyte hemolysate (P<0.025), erythrocyte membrane (P<0.0005) and blood plasma samples (P<0.0005) from atherosclerotic patients than those of the controls. Moreover, AOP was found to be lower in plasma samples of smoker patients than that of non-smoker patients (P<0.05). In the control group, erythrocyte MDA level was higher in smoker group than that of non-smoker group (P<0.05). Results reveal the presence of oxidant stress in the blood samples from patients with atherosclerosis. It seems antioxidant therapy might give beneficial results for atherosclerotic patients.