M. Toutouza

Effects of combined administration of low dose atorvastatin and vitamin E on inflammatory markers and endothelial function in patients with heart failure.

Heart failure has been associated with impaired endothelial function, increased inflammatory process and elevated oxidative stress status. Both statins and vitamin E separately improve endothelial function in patients with hypercholesterolemia and/or advanced atherosclerosis.

Chemokines in patients with ischaemic heart disease and the effect of coronary angioplasty

Percutaneous coronary transluminal angioplasty (PTCA) may release inflammatory mediators such as chemokines. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and eotaxin (EOX) are monocyte- and eosinophil-specific chemokines involved in the inflammation and pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis. A total of 28 patients undergoing elective PTCA, 20 coronary artery disease (CAD) patients undergoing coronary angiography and 28 healthy controls were studied. In PTCA patients before the procedure, MCP-1 plasma levels (441+/-64 pg/ml) were similar to those of CAD patients (430+/-24 pg/ml), and significantly higher compared with controls (145+/-17 pg/ml, P<0.01). MCP-1 rose significantly after 3 and 6 months following PTCA (696+/-89 and 876+/-86 pg/ml, respectively, P<0.01 vs. before PTCA). EOX plasma levels (155+/-14 pg/ml) were similar to those of CAD patients (157+/-14 pg/ml), but significantly higher compared with controls (83.2+/-10 pg/ml, P<0.05). EOX rose significantly 24 h (273+/-41 pg/ml, P<0.05) but not 3 months after PTCA (160+/-20 and 158+/-19 pg/ml, respectively). These findings indicate that chemokine-induced monocyte- and eosinophil-specific chemoattraction is stimulated in patients with coronary artery disease. MCP-1 levels remain significantly elevated for at least 6 months following elective PTCA, suggesting an inflammatory stimulation.

Effects of combined administration of vitamins C and E on reactive hyperemia and inflammatory process in chronic smokers

Purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of combined administration of antioxidant vitamins C and E on endothelial function and serum levels of inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukines 1b (IL-1b) and 6 (IL-6), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and E-selectin in chronic smokers. Forty-three smokers were randomly divided into four groups receiving vitamin C 2 g/day (group A), vitamin C 2 g/day plus vitamin E 400 IU/day (group B), vitamin C 2 g/day plus vitamin E 800 IU/day (group C) or no antioxidant treatment (group D), for 4 weeks. Forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured using venous occlusion strain gauge plethysmography. Forearm vasodilatory response to reactive hyperemia (RH%) was expressed as the percentage change from baseline to post reactive hyperemia blood flow. RH% was significantly increased in groups B (P<0.05) and C (P<0.01), but remained unaffected in groups A and D. Serum levels of IL-1b, IL-6, sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 were significantly reduced in group C (P<0.05, respectively), but remained unaffected in groups A, B and D. Thus, short term administration of vitamins C (2 g/day) and E (800 IU/day) reduces serum levels of IL-1b, IL-6, sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1, and improves forearm vasodilatory response to reactive hyperemia in healthy young smokers, while monotherapy with vitamin C alone is ineffective.

Vascular endothelium and inflammatory process, in patients with combined Type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary atherosclerosis: the effects of vitamin C.

Aimsu2003 Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are both associated with endothelial dysfunction and elevated oxidative and inflammatory state. We examined the effect of vitamin C on endothelial function and levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM‐1), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF‐α), in DM patients with or without CAD and in non‐diabetic subjects.