Demographic and cardiovascular risk factors in relation to antioxidant status: the EVA Study

The aim of the study was to examine the determinants of blood antioxidant indicators on a large sample. Levels of plasma selenium and carotenoids, vitamin E in red blood cells, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were determined. The cross-sectional relationships between these markers and demographic and cardiovascular risk factors were examined in participants of the EVA study, a cohort of 1389 men and women, aged 59-71 years. Multivariable regression models including demographic (age, sex, socio-economic level), lifestyle (alcohol, tobacco), clinical and metabolic (lipids, glycemia) factors were used. Women had higher levels of plasma carotenoids, TBARS and red blood cell vitamin E. Cholesterol levels were positively associated to lipid-soluble vitamins, selenium and TBARS. Use of lipid-lowering drugs was positively associated with selenium and vitamin E and negatively with carotenoids. Body mass index was the strongest determinant of plasma carotenoids. Education and income levels were positively associated with selenium and total carotenoids. Tobacco consumption was negatively associated with red blood cell vitamin E, whereas alcohol consumption was positively associated with TBARS. This study emphasizes the respective place of the various determinants of antioxidant status. When considering tissue antioxidant indicators, analyses should take into account not only the metabolic parameters but also socio-economic factors and the subject's life style.