LAUSR

INTRODUCTION the purpose of this study was to assess the vitamin A (VA) nutritional status of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and its correlation with the severity of the disease, taking into consideration zinc concentration and oxidative stress. METHODS the patients were preoperative inpatients awaiting myocardial revascularization surgery. The serum concentrations of retinol, β-carotene, zinc, malondialdehyde (MDA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were quantified. CAD severity was assessed by cineangiography, observing the parameters of severity, extent and occlusion. An echocardiogram was performed to assess the ejection fraction. RESULTS ninety individuals were studied (64.5 ± 9.6 years). Zinc did not correlate with retinol (r = -0.009/p = 0.40), β-carotene (r = -0.06/p = 0.73) or MDA (r = 0.03/p = 0.70), but zinc deficiency was more frequent amongst the patients with high MDA (quartiles 50 and 75). CRP was found to be associated with retinol (x2 = 3.95/p = 0.04). The individuals with retinol deficiency had more severe CAD, and β-carotene diminished as the extent score rose, although this was not statistically significant (p = 0.12). The degree of severity was associated to extent (x2 = 67.9)/(p < 0.001), occlusion (x2 = 34.5/p < 0.001) and CRP (x2 = 5.9/p = 0.05), while extent was associated with MDA (x2 = 42.1)/(p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between the ejection fraction and β-carotene (r = 0.42/p = 0.02). CONCLUSION findings from this study indicate that chronic inflammation resulting from atherosclerosis is related to disease severity and consequent influence on nutritional status of VA.