LOW OXIDIZED GLUTATHIONE AND HYPERHOMOCYSTEINEMIA ASSOCIATES IN FEMALES WITH ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE

Introduction:  Slovak females exhibit high level of classical risk factors contributing to the third highest cardiovascular mortality level in Europe, however, newer risk factors related to the oxidative injury have important proatheroclerotic effect and until now were not known.
Aim:  To investigate relationship of homocysteine and glutathione and its oxidaze form in females with ischemic heart disease. 
Materials:  Randomly selected females with stable ischemic heart disease (IHD)(N=163) were compared with apparently healthy controls (C)(N=61) according to their diagnosis and menopausal status.
Methods: Standard methods were used for determination of homocysteine (Hcy), total glutathione (tGSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), reduced glutathione, total antioxidant status (TAS) ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (uCRP), Schiff base substance, vitamin B12, folic acid and lipid spectrum.
Results:  Apparently healthy controls as well patients with IHD exhibited high values of plasma Hcy, significantly increasing in both groups in postmenopausal age. Whole blood GSSG decreased in the reverse order. The highest Hcy and the lowest GSSG were found in subgroup of females with prior myocardial infarction in inverse correlation (r=-0.36; p=0.01). Schiff base substance had high correlation with GSSG in IHD group (r=-0.32; p<0.001) resp. controls (r=-0.25; p<0.05).
Conclusion. High plasma homocysteine and low whole blood oxidized glutathione are characteristic for  females with prior MI.