The assessment of serum levels of malondialdehyde and total antioxidant capacity after the use of atorvastatin in patients with coronary artery stenosis

Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Conditions of oxidative stress and antioxidant imbalance plays a major role in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis. The main objective of this study is to evaluate serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) as an index of lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) after consumption of atorvastatin in coronary artery stenosis patients. This study was carried out on 75 patients with angiographically proven coronary artery stenosis. The patients with coronary artery stenosis were divided into the following 3 groups according to consumption duration of atorvastatin: 25 patients were classified statins consume less than 6 days, 27 patients taking statins for 6 to 90 days, and 23 patients taking statins for more than 90 days. The levels of serum MDA and TAC were measured by thiobarbituric acid and Benzie methods, respectively. The serum TAC concentrations of patients taking statins for more than 90 days(0.83 ± 0.101 mmol/l) were significantly increased (p=0.001) compared with patients that atorvastatin consume less than 6 days (0. 686 ± 0.076 mmol/l) while the levels of MDA decreased significantly (p<0.029), 0.472 ± 0.112 µmol/l and 0.73 ± 0.43 µmol/l, respectively. In conclusion, results indicate that a significant reduction of plasma MDA levels as well as a significant enhancement of TAC in coronary artery stenosis patients with long time receiving atorvastatin contribute to the lowering oxidative stress in this patients.