ANTIOXIDANTS VERSUS STATINS IN LOWERING OXIDIZED LDL CHOLESTEROL

Introduction: Oxidative stress is caused by domination of prooxidative factors in the organism over antioxidant factors. Its direct consequence is damage of biologically important molecules in organism by free oxygen and nitrogen radicals. One of the most important target of free radicals are LDL cholesterol particles. Oxidized LDL cholesterol greatly contributes to development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. There are several possibilities of reducing LDL oxidation; the biggest clinical effect was achieved by reduction of LDL cholesterol level by statins.
Methods: We examined group of randomly selected females with CAD divided into groups according to antioxidants (A+ and A- groups) and statins (S+ and S- groups) intake. Standard methods were used for determination of total antioxidant status (TAS), ultrasensitive CRP (uCRP), apolipoprotein B (apoB), triglycerides (TG), total (TC), LDL and HDL cholesterol and oxidized LDL cholesterol (oLDL).
Results: S+ patients had significantly lower values of TC (5.7±1.3 vs. 6.3±1.1 mmol/l; p<0.05), LDL (3.7±1.1 vs. 4.2±1.0 mmol/l; p<0.05), TG (1.7±0.9 vs. 1.4±0.5 mmol/l; p<0.05), apoB (0.98±0.18 vs. 1.08±0.20 g/l; p<0.05) and uCRP (1.61±1.96 vs. 2.99±2.97 mg/l; p<0.01) than S- group. A+ patients didn’t have any differences in lipid values, apoB and uCRP compared to A- group. TAS and oLDL values were without significant differences in all groups.
Conclusions: Patients with CAD taking statins had lower values of TC, LDL and TG, as well as apoB and uCRP. Antioxidants intake didn’t have significant impact on those parameters. Neither statins nor antioxidants influenced oLDL and TAS values.