Supplementation with vitamins C and E suppresses leukocyte oxygen free radical production in patients with myocardial infarction

Clinical studies suggest that neutrophil activation during acute myocardial infarction (MI) aggravates tissue injury. Activated neutrophils are an important source of oxygen free radicals (OFR), the injurious effects of which are counteracted by endogenous antioxidants. We have previously shown in healthy subjects that supplementation with antioxidant vitamins C and E suppresses OFR production by isolated neutrophils assayed by chemiluminescence (CL). The present study, performed in patients with acute MI aimed (1) to investigate the effect of vitamin C and E supplementation upon neutrophil OFR production and serum lipid peroxides, (2) to evaluate serum levels of vitamins C mid E in the course of MI. Forty-five patients with acute MI were randomized to receive either conventional treatment plus vitamin C and E aa 600 mg. day−1 p.o. for 14 days (VIT, n=23) or conventional treatment only (control, n=22). All measurements were performed on the 1St And 14Th Day. Neutrophil OFR production assayed by CL decreased significantly in VIT patients (Wilcoxon test for paired data P