The effects of percutaneous transluminal coronary intervention on biomarkers of oxidative stress in the erythrocytes of elderly male patients

Abstract

Objectives: Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and elective coronary angiography (EC) on erythrocytic antioxidant defense in elderly male patients.

Methods: Twenty-three stable angina pectoris (SAP) patients undergoing PTCA and 18 patients with ischemic symptoms scheduled to undergo diagnostic EC were included in the study. The concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) and the activities of Zn,Cu-superoxide dismutase (SOD-1), catalase (CAT), and cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were examined in the erythrocytes before, immediately after and 2 weeks following PTCA or EC.

Results: The MDA concentrations were significantly higher and SOD-1, CAT, and GSH-Px activities were significantly lower in the PTCA group than in the EC group at baseline. Two weeks after treatment, the activities of the enzymes significantly increased in both groups, whereas the MDA concentrations decreased only in the PTCA patients.

Conclusions: The results confirm that an advanced state of atherosclerosis is related to greater levels of oxidative stress. The study indicates that both procedures may induce antioxidant defenses; however, PTCA exclusively induces a long-term reduction in lipid peroxidation.

Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; coronary angiography; coronary angioplasty; ischemic heart disease; lipid peroxidation; oxidative stress.

Figure 1.

Effect of PTCA on the (a) MDA and (b) reduced GSH concentrations in the erythrocytes of male patients with SAP compared with the effect of diagnostic EC on the erythrocytes of male subjects (control group). Data are presented as the means ± S.E.M. *p < 0.001, before the procedure versus 14 days after the procedure, ^#p < 0.001, SAP patients versus control subjects.

Figure 2.

Effect of PTCA on the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the erythrocytes of male patients with SAP compared with the effect of diagnostic EC on the erythrocytes of male subjects (control group): (a) Cu–Zn SOD-1, (b) CAT, (c) cellular GSH-Px. Data are presented as the means ± S.E.M. *p < 0.05, before the procedure versus 14 days after the procedure, ^#p < 0.05, SAP patients versus control subjects.