[Lipid peroxidation in human pathology: evaluation of data in literature]

Several methods have been proposed for detecting the oxidation and breakdown of polyunsaturated fatty acids (lipoperoxidation process) in humans. The lipoperoxidation products which hitherto have been measured in sufficiently large groups of subjects are lipid conjugated dienes, malonic dialdehyde and fluorescent byproducts in biological fluids and low molecular weight aliphatic hydrocarbons in expired air. None of these methods can yet be considered as the method of choice. Various analytical pitfalls and several epidemiological and statistical biases cast doubt about the conclusions of the majority of the studies carried out so far in humans. Provided further studies are undertaken to determine the factors which influence the metabolism of low molecular weight hydrocarbons in man, expired air analysis might constitute a practical and promising in vivo approach for detecting an increased lipoperoxidation process.