Plasma lipid peroxides: relationships to cardiovascular risk factors and prevalent cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND The epidemiology of plasma lipid peroxides, which may play a role in atherogenesis, has not been well defined. AIM To study the relationships of plasma lipid peroxides to cardiovascular risk factors in a random population sample. DESIGN Random, age- and sex-stratified population sample. METHODS We studied 739 men and women aged 25-74 years. Lipid peroxides were assayed by the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay for malondialdehyde (MDA) in stored plasma samples. RESULTS Lipid peroxide levels increased with age. In men, lipid peroxides were significantly associated with smoking habit. Lipid peroxides correlated with non-fasting serum triglycerides (r = 0.33; p < 0.0001) in both sexes. Weaker associations were observed for cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (inversely), body mass index, fibrinogen and white cell count; as well as an inverse association with serum vitamin C in men. DISCUSSION These findings clarify the relationships of plasma lipid peroxides to cardiovascular risk factors; and are consistent with the hypothesis that lipid peroxidation may be one mechanism through which several risk factors may promote cardiovascular disease.