Low serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations in subjects with various coronary risk factors

Oxidative stress may play an important role in the genesis and development of atherosclerosis.

To examine whether oxidative stress is increased in the presence of various coronary risk factors, serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations were determined in 168 apparently healthy subjects recruited from Daioh town (73 men and 95 women, mean age: 42+/-11 years). The alpha-tocopherol concentration (mg/g lipids) was significantly lower in men, older subjects (>or=50 years of age), smokers, those with hyper-low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterolemia (C) (>or=160 mg/dl), hypertriglyceridemia (TG) (>or=150 mg/dl), hypo-high density lipoprotein (HDL)-C (<40 mg/dl), fasting hyperglycemia (>110 mg/dl) and obesity (body mass index >or=25 kg/m (2)) than in women, younger subjects, nonsmokers, those with normoLDL-C, normoTG, normoHDL-C, fasting normoglycemia and the non-obese. The concentration was not significantly different between hypertensives and nonhypertensives. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for hyperTG and hypoHDL-C as a factor for the lowest tertile of alpha-tocopherol concentration were 6.2 (1.6-24.4, p<0.01) and 6.0 (1.5-22.6, p<0.01), and those of the other risk factors were not significant. The alpha-tocopherol concentrations were significantly positively correlated with HDL-C concentrations (R=0.53) and negatively with TG concentrations (R=-0.53), BMI (R=-0.35), LDL-C concentrations (R=-0.25) and age (R=-0.22).

Increased oxidative stress, as shown by decreased alpha-tocopherol concentrations, was linked to the presence of various coronary risk factors, among which hyperTG and hypoHDL-C appeared to be most heavily associated with oxidative stress.