Erythrocyte, but not plasma, vitamin E concentration is associated with carotid intima-media thickening in asymptomatic men at risk for cardiovascular disease

Epidemiological data regarding the preventive role of vitamin E in the path ogenesis of atherosclerosis have yielded conflicting results, possibly beca use endpoints considered were clinical events but not detection of atherosc lerosis per se. Otherwise, it has been suggested that the measure of the er ythrocyte a-tocopherol level may be more suitable to assess the human tocop herol status than its plasma level. We investigated the association between early atherosclerosis in superficial arteries assessed noninvasively and t he alpha -tocopherol status in 261 asymptomatic men at risk for cardiovascu lar disease. alpha -Tocopherol concentrations in plasma, HDL, and erythrocy tes were determined using a reverse-phase HPLC method. Detection of carotid plaques and measure of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were performed using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. The main result of this stud y is the observation of a negative correlation (P < 0.01) between carotid I MT and erythrocyte alpha -tocopherol concentration, independently of conven tional cardiovascular risk factors, whereas no such association has been fo und with plasma (total or HDL) alpha -tocopherot concentrations. No associa tion has been evidenced between oc-tocopherol concentrations and carotid pl aques. These results emphasize the primary protective role of vitamin E in the early phases of atherosclerosis and the significance of the erythrocyte alpha -tocopherol concentration as a marker of atherosclerosis. (C) 2001 E lsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.