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Research: VIVEKANANTHAN and co-workers,
Listed in Issue 95
Abstract
VIVEKANANTHAN and co-workers, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA, have analyzed clinical trials on antioxidant vitamins for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Background
Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) is thought to play major role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. It is assumed that the antioxidant vitamins, alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) and/or beta-carotene, could reduce the amount of oxidized LDL in the body, but solid clinical evidence is scarce.
Methodology
The results of 7 randomized trials of vitamin E and 8 randomized trials of beta-carotene were meta-analyzed.
Results
Averaged over a total of 81,788 patients, there was no benefit in mortality risk with vitamin E. In a total of 138,113 patients, beta carotene led to a small but significant increase in the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (relative risk 1.1, p = 0.003).
Conclusion
The routine use of vitamin E as a preventive of cardiovascular disease is not indicated.
References
Vivekananthan DP, Penn MS, Sapp SK, Hsu A, Topol EJ. Use of antioxidant vitamins for the prevention of cardiovascular disease: meta-analysis of randomized trials. Lancet 361 (9374): 2017-2023, Jun 2003.
