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Low Plasma Vitamins E and C Increased Risk of Angina in Scottish Men a
Author(s) -
RIEMERSMA RUDOLPH A.,
WOOD DAVID A.,
MACINTYRE CECILIA C.A.,
ELTON ROB,
GEY K. FRED,
OLIVER MICHAEL F.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1989.tb14928.x
Subject(s) - angina , medicine , plasma , cardiology , chemistry , physics , myocardial infarction , nuclear physics
Cross-cultural studies suggest that low plasma antioxidant levels contribute to the high incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in Scotland. One hundred twenty-five cases of angina without reported history were identified by a postal WHO chest pain questionnaire from a systemic population sample of 6000 Edinburgh men (35-54 years). Classical CHD risk factors (lipids, blood pressure, smoking, and relative weight), plasma vitamins, and a new independent CHD risk factor, adipose tissue linoleate, were measured in angina (n = 125) and healthy controls (n = 430). Cigarette smoking was common in angina (46% vs. 29%, p less than 0.01), and adipose tissue linoleate was lower (8.77 +/- 0.18% vs. 9.81 +/- 0.14% (p less than 0.01). Classical CHD risk factors were not different. Vitamin E/cholesterol molar ratio (micron/mM) was lower in angina than in controls: 1.58 +/- 0.03 vs. 1.66 +/- 0.02 (p less than 0.01). Plasma vitamin C was also lower in angina than in controls: 23.6 +/- 1.7 vs. 30.5 +/- 1.1 microM (p less than 0.001). The relative risk of angina for those in the lowest versus those in the highest quintile of the vitamin E/cholesterol ratio distribution was 2.2:1, irrespective of other risk factors (p less than 0.009). Adipose tissue linoleate removed the association between vitamin E and angina. The relative risk of angina for those in the lowest versus those in the highest quintile of plasma vitamin C was 2.6:1 (p less than 0.01), and the increased risk was also independent of classical risk factors, but closely related to a smoking habit. Low plasma vitamin E or adipose linoleate predisposes to angina, and smoking may increase the risk of angina by lowering plasma vitamin C levels in Scottish men.