Vitamin E, vitamin E/lipid ratios and their monitoring in human disease

Reid, Alan Martyn (2003) Vitamin E, vitamin E/lipid ratios and their monitoring in human disease. MSc(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis investigates the role of vitamin E in protection of lipids and phospholipids against free radical damage in three studies on distinct patient groups. Levels of vitamin A, cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol were also assessed. The first study assesses nutritional aspects of vitamin E levels in hospital in-patients, patients on nutritional supplements and patients from general practices located in areas of differing deprivation categories. Plasma vitamin A levels were assessed to review this vitamin's status as levels below 0.7 mumol/L may indicate inadequacy. It was expected that the vitamin E when corrected for lipid would be lower in the intensive care and high dependency unit patient groups. However this was not case as the vitamin E/cholesterol was highest in patients in the intensive care unit. This observation challenges the convention of correcting vitamin E with cholesterol or cholesterol and triglyceride when assessing depletion in acutely ill patients due to the effects of the acute phase response on the lowering of cholesterol levels. The study also indicates no difference in vitamin E levels between deprivation categories 1 & 2 and categories 6 & 7. The second study assesses vitamins A and E as well as cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol against cardiac troponin I (a specific marker of myocardial muscle damage). The findings of this study indicate no correlation between the vitamin E/cholesterol ratio or vitamin E and myocardial damage, as assessed by elevated levels of troponin I. The third study assessed vitamins A and E as well as cholesterol and triglyceride in schizophrenia and tardive dyskinesia. These two groups were studied because lipid peroxidation and therefore vitamin E depletion may be associated with schizophrenia and tardive dyskinesia. In this study the vitamin E/cholesterol ratio showed no difference between the schizophrenic patients and normal controls. There was also no difference between patients with tardive dyskinesia and normal controls or schizophrenic controls. However in all schizophrenic groups vitamin E alone was significantly lower than the respective control groups but still well within the normal range. The results from these studies suggest that low levels of plasma vitamin E are a rare finding. The concept of correcting vitamin E with lipid may be appropriate in the normal healthy population, out patients and the general ward population but this correction should not be used when assessing acutely ill inpatients. In these acutely ill patients levels of vitamin E should be assessed with indicators of acute phase response (C-reactive protein), liver function and lipid status.

• Item Type: Thesis (MSc(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Keywords: Biochemistry.
• Colleges/Schools: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences
• Supervisor's Name: Glen, Dr. Alastair and Shepherd, Prof. James
• Date of Award: 2003
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2003-41189
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 02 May 2019 13:07
• Last Modified: 07 Jun 2021 10:14
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/41189