Antioxidant vitamin status and carotid atherosclerosis in the elderly
Antioxidant vitamin status and carotid atherosclerosis in the elderly
Background: The oxidative modification of LDL is thought to play a crucial role in the initiation of atherosclerosis. Antioxidant vitamins can protect LDL from oxidation, and high intakes or blood concentrations of these vitamins have been linked with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Few data are available on the importance of antioxidant vitamins in earlier stages of atherogenesis.
Objective: We investigated the cross-sectional relation between antioxidant vitamin status and carotid atherosclerosis in a group of elderly persons.
Design: The study sample comprised 468 men and women aged 66–75 y living in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Duplex ultrasonography was used to measure intima-media thickness and the degree of stenosis in the extracranial carotid arteries. Antioxidant vitamin status was assessed by measuring fasting plasma concentrations of vitamin C, vitamin E, and ß-carotene.
Results: In the men, after adjustment for age and cardiovascular disease risk factors, a 20% higher plasma vitamin C concentration was associated with a 0.004-mm smaller intima-media thickness; a 20% higher ß-carotene concentration was associated with a 0.005-mm smaller intima-media thickness. Compared with men with high blood concentrations of ß-carotene or cholesterol-adjusted vitamin E, those with low blood concentrations of these vitamins were 2.5 times as likely to have carotid stenosis of >30%. We found no significant trends between plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins and either measure of carotid atherosclerosis in the women.
Conclusion: A high antioxidant vitamin status may help to prevent the initiation and progression of early atherosclerotic lesions in men.
carotid artery disease, atherosclerosis, dietary antioxidants, vitamin c, vitamin e, ß-carotene, elderly, low-density lipoprotein, ldl, oxidation
402-408
Gale, Catharine R.
5bb2abb3-7b53-42d6-8aa7-817e193140c8
Ashurst, Hazel E.
7d5b4181-2608-4a70-9c9d-cfe5cc496140
Powers, Hilary J.
35c0a66b-e3d5-4f22-937b-a57cbfb4d4b2
Martyn, Christopher N.
eb9a7811-3550-4586-9aca-795f2ad05090
2001
Gale, Catharine R.
5bb2abb3-7b53-42d6-8aa7-817e193140c8
Ashurst, Hazel E.
7d5b4181-2608-4a70-9c9d-cfe5cc496140
Powers, Hilary J.
35c0a66b-e3d5-4f22-937b-a57cbfb4d4b2
Martyn, Christopher N.
eb9a7811-3550-4586-9aca-795f2ad05090
Gale, Catharine R., Ashurst, Hazel E., Powers, Hilary J. and Martyn, Christopher N.
(2001)
Antioxidant vitamin status and carotid atherosclerosis in the elderly.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 74 (3), .
Abstract
Background: The oxidative modification of LDL is thought to play a crucial role in the initiation of atherosclerosis. Antioxidant vitamins can protect LDL from oxidation, and high intakes or blood concentrations of these vitamins have been linked with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Few data are available on the importance of antioxidant vitamins in earlier stages of atherogenesis.
Objective: We investigated the cross-sectional relation between antioxidant vitamin status and carotid atherosclerosis in a group of elderly persons.
Design: The study sample comprised 468 men and women aged 66–75 y living in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Duplex ultrasonography was used to measure intima-media thickness and the degree of stenosis in the extracranial carotid arteries. Antioxidant vitamin status was assessed by measuring fasting plasma concentrations of vitamin C, vitamin E, and ß-carotene.
Results: In the men, after adjustment for age and cardiovascular disease risk factors, a 20% higher plasma vitamin C concentration was associated with a 0.004-mm smaller intima-media thickness; a 20% higher ß-carotene concentration was associated with a 0.005-mm smaller intima-media thickness. Compared with men with high blood concentrations of ß-carotene or cholesterol-adjusted vitamin E, those with low blood concentrations of these vitamins were 2.5 times as likely to have carotid stenosis of >30%. We found no significant trends between plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins and either measure of carotid atherosclerosis in the women.
Conclusion: A high antioxidant vitamin status may help to prevent the initiation and progression of early atherosclerotic lesions in men.
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Published date: 2001
Keywords:
carotid artery disease, atherosclerosis, dietary antioxidants, vitamin c, vitamin e, ß-carotene, elderly, low-density lipoprotein, ldl, oxidation
Organisations:
Dev Origins of Health & Disease
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 25511
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/25511
PURE UUID: fa365040-4630-41dd-90ff-264a314f98e8
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Date deposited: 19 Apr 2006
Last modified: 23 Jul 2022 01:39
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Contributors
Author:
Hazel E. Ashurst
Author:
Hilary J. Powers
Author:
Christopher N. Martyn
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