VITAMINS C AND E AND TOTAL ANTIOXIDANT STATUS IN SUBJECTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTHARCOURT TEACHING HOSPITAL

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of inter-related risk factors of metabolic origin
characterized by insulin resistance. It promotes the development of atherosclerotic
cardiovascular disease and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus.
According to the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria, metabolic syndrome is
defined by three or more of the following criteria: central obesity,
hypertriglyceridaemia, low HDL, high blood pressure and hyperglycaemia.
Increased free radical production and thus oxidative stress have been implicated in the
pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. As a result, there is depletion of defences against
free radical damage which comprise enzymatic defences and antioxidant vitamins like
vitamins C and E.
The aim of this study was to determine and compare the total antioxidant status and
vitamins C and E levels in metabolic syndrome subjects and healthy controls.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
One hundred subjects aged 21 to 73 years that satisfied the ATP III criteria for
metabolic syndrome were studied along with one hundred age- and sex-matched
apparently healthy controls.
Blood pressure (mmHg), waist circumference (cm), weight (Kg) and height (m) of
participants were measured and body mass index (Kg/m2) calculated. Fasting plasma
glucose (mmol/L), triglyceride (mmol/L), total cholesterol (mmol/L), high density
lipoprotein (mmol/L), low density lipoprotein (mmol/L), vitamins C (μmol/L) and E
(μmol/L) and total antioxidant (mmol/L) status were estimated.
RESULTS
The mean plasma vitamin C of subjects (27.5 ± 7.4μmol/L) was significantly lower
(P=0.0001) than that of controls (44.3 ± 7.3μmol/L).
The mean plasma vitamin E of subjects (16.9 ± 4.9μmol/L) was significantly lower
(P=0.0001) than that of controls (30.8 ± 6.1μmol/L).
The mean plasma total antioxidant status of subjects (1.2 ± 0.3mmol/L) was
significantly lower (P=0.0001) than that of controls (1.6 ± 0.3mmol/L).
The mean age of subjects was 51.4 ± 10.9 years and it was not significantly different
from that of controls which was 48.6 ± 12.1 years (P=0.0001).
The means of the individual components of metabolic syndrome were significantly
higher in subjects compared with controls – systolic blood pressure (P=0.0001),
diastolic blood pressure (P=0.0001), waist circumference (P=0.0001), body mass index
(P=0.001), fasting plasma glucose (P=0.0001), plasma triglyceride (P=0.0001), plasma
total cholesterol (P=0.0001), plasma low density lipoprotein (P=0.01). The mean plasma
high density lipoprotein of subjects (1.4 ± 0.6mmol/L) was significantly lower
(P=0.0001) than that of controls (1.3 ± 0.3mmol/L).
CONCLUSION
The reduced plasma levels of vitamins C and E and total antioxidant status in
metabolic syndrome subjects in UPTH compared with that of controls may be due to
increased oxidative stress.

VITAMINS C AND E AND TOTAL ANTIOXIDANT STATUS IN SUBJECTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTHARCOURT TEACHING HOSPITAL