COPPER INTAKE AND BLOOD-LEVELS AS RISK-FACTORS FOR ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Background: Copper is part of antioxidant enzymes and could have a car diovascular protective effect. A higher cardiovascular risk has been a ssociated with high as well as low plasma copper levels. Aim: To searc h for differences in copper intake and plasma levels between patients with coronary artery or cerebrovascular diseases and normal subjects. Patients and methods: Zinc and copper intake, plasma levels and serum lipid levels were measured in 20 patients with cerebrovascular disease , 20 patients with and acute myocardial infarction and 40 subjects hos pitalized for elective surgery, that served as controls. Results: Copp er and zinc intake was below recommended allowances in all subjects. S erum zinc and copper levels did not differ in the three study groups. In patients with myocardial infarction a weak correlation was found be tween serum copper and total cholesterol (r = 0.24; p < 0.05) and LDL cholesterol (r = 0.31; p < 0.05). Conclusions: No differences in coppe r levels were found in subjects with atherosclerosis and controls. The correlation between serum copper and cholesterol deserves further inv estigation.