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Relationship Between Red Cell Distribution Width and Oxidative Stress Indexes in Patients with Coronary Artery
Gholamreza Namazi1,2, Somayeh Heidar Beygi2, Mohammad Hasan Vahidi2
1Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
Insights
Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is linked to oxidative stress in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Higher RDW may indicate increased lipid peroxidation, suggesting oxidative stress as a mechanism in CAD.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biochemistry
- Oxidative Stress Research
Background:
- Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a significant predictor of mortality in coronary artery disease (CAD).
- The underlying biological mechanisms connecting RDW and CAD are not fully understood.
- Oxidative stress is a potential contributing factor to the observed association between RDW and CAD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between RDW and markers of oxidative stress in patients diagnosed with CAD.
- To explore whether oxidative stress plays a role in elevated RDW levels observed in CAD patients.
Main Methods:
- Studied 112 patients with stable CAD, unstable CAD, and non-CAD controls.
- Measured plasma and erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation (TBARS) using fluorometric methods.
- Assessed plasma glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) via spectrophotometric methods.
Main Results:
- Erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation (TBARS) was significantly higher in stable CAD patients compared to non-CAD controls.
- Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was significantly lower in both stable and unstable CAD groups versus controls.
- A direct association was observed between erythrocyte membrane TBARS and RDW across all study groups.
Conclusions:
- An independent association exists between RDW levels and erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation in CAD patients.
- Oxidative stress, indicated by lipid peroxidation, is a potential biological mechanism contributing to increased RDW in CAD.
- These findings highlight the role of oxidative stress in RDW variations within the context of coronary artery disease.
Background:
Red blood cell distribution (RDW), an index of the size variability of erythrocytes, is significantly associated with coronary stenosis and can strongly predict the mortality risk in coronary artery disease (CAD). The biological mechanisms involved are not fully understood but may include oxidative stress. We sought to investigate the relationship between RDW and markers of oxidative stress in patients with CAD.
Methods:
Participants were 112 consecutive patients referred to department of cardiac surgery for evaluation of chest pain. 32 patients had stable CAD, 40 patients had unstable CAD and 40 subjects were diagnosed as non-CAD. The levels of lipid peroxidation (TBARS) were measured in plasma and membrane samples by a fluorometric method. The plasma levels of glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were determined using spectrophotometric methods.
Results:
Lipid peroxidation levels were significantly higher in the erythrocyte membrane of stable CAD patients than non-CAD patients. The levels of TAC were significantly lower in both stable and unstable groups when compared to that of the control group (P< 0.019 and P< 0.001, respectively), but did not differ between stable and unstable CAD. In addition, there was no significant difference in the serum GSH levels among the study groups. Membrane TBARS was directly associated with RDW in three groups of study.
Conclusions:
We found an independent association between RDW levels and membrane lipid peroxidation in patients with CAD. This finding suggests that oxidative stress may be a potential underlying biological mechanism for increased RDW in CAD patients.
