Antioxidant vitamin levels do not exhibit negative correlation with the extent of acute myocardial infarction

Abstract

Serum levels of vitamin E(VE),beta-carotene(BC)and vitamin C(VC)were determined in 50 patients with the first acute myocardial infarction(AMI)before starting thrombolytical treatment.The reperfused patients were divided according to vitamin concentrations into 4 groups.The lowest quartile was compared with the rest of the studied population(VE:group with high(H)>15,6uM>group with low(L),BC:H>0.07uM>L,VC:H>25 uM>L)in the following parameters:extent of myocardial damage, arrthythmia and congestive heart failure occurrence,ejection fraction,positivity of ventricular late potentials.No significant differences between groups H and L for either VE,BC or VC were found.As no correlation between serum concentrations of vitamins and the extent and clinical course of AMI was found,the actual vitamin concentrations may be important for prevention of ischemic heart disease,but they do not play a decisive role in the acute phase of myocardial infarction in humans.