Blood oxidant/antioxidant status of atherosclerotic patients

In the present study, it is aimed to investigate oxidant/antioxidant status : of plasma and erythrocytes: from atherosclerotic patients and to establis h the possible role of oxidant stress in the formation and progression of a therosclerosis. Antioxidant potential (AOP), values and malondialdehyde (MD A) levels were studied in erythrocyte and plasma samples from 40 atheroscle rotic patients and 38 healthy controls. A total of 13 subjects in each grou p were smokers. AOP was found unchanged in erythrocytes but lower in plasma samples (P < 0.0005) from atherosclerotic patients as compared with those of the controls. MDA levels were however higher in erythrocyte hemolysate ( P < 0.025), erythrocyte membrane (P < 0.0005) and blood plasma samples (P < 0.0005) from atherosclerotic patients than those of the controls. Moreover , AOP was found to be lower in plasma samples of smoker patients: than that of non-smoker patients (P < 0.05). In the control group, erythrocyte MDA l evel was higher in smoker group than that of non-smoker group (P < 0.05). R esults reveal the presence of oxidant stress in the blood samples from pati ents with atherosclerosis, It seems antioxidant therapy might give benefici al results for atherosclerotic patients. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.