Effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on oxidative stress biomarkers following reperfusion in STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

It is well-established that oxidative stress is deeply involved in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Considering the potent antioxidant properties of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), we aimed to assess whether CoQ10 supplementation could exert beneficial effects on plasma levels of oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPIC).

Seventy patients with the first attack of STEMI, eligible for PPCI were randomly assigned to receive either standard treatments plus CoQ10 (400 mg before PPCI and 200 mg twice daily for three days after PPCI) or standard treatments plus placebo. Plasma levels of oxidative stress biomarkers, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured at 6, 24, and 72 hours after completion of PPCI.

The changes in plasma levels of the studied biomarkers at 6 and 24 hours after PPCI were similar in the both groups (P values>0.05). This is while at 72 hours, the CoQ10- treated group exhibited significantly higher plasma levels of SOD (P value<0.001), CAT (P value=0.001), and TAC (P value<0.001), along with a lower plasma level of MDA (P value=0.002) compared to the placebo-treated group. The plasma activity of GPX showed no significant difference between the groups at all the study time points (P values>0.05).

This study showed that CoQ10 has the potential to modulate the balance between antioxidant and oxidant biomarkers after reperfusion therapy. Our results suggest that CoQ10, through its antioxidant capacity, may help reduce the reperfusion injury in ischemic myocardium.