Positive Health Online

Abstract

WOODHOUSE and colleagues, Clinical Gerontology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrookes Hospital UK write that epidemiological research suggests that there is an association between elevated plasma plasminogen activatory inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity and heart disease. The authors conducted a longitudinal study of cardiovascular disease risk factors to study the relationship between plasma fibrinogen, infection, low vitamin C status and heart disease. @m:METHODS: 96 volunteers, aged 65-74 years living in Cambridge were visited at home 7 times over a 14-month period. Measured on each occasion were plasma PAI-1 activity, serum vitamin C, markers of acute phase response, serum lipids and other heart disease risk factors. @r: Following multiple regression analysis three significant predictors of PAI-1 activity were determined to be: body mass index blood neutrophil count and, inversely, serum ascorbate (vitamin C). The inverse relationship between PAI-1 activity and serum vitamin C persisted even after vitamin C supplement takers or smokers were excluded from the analysis. Serum vitamin C was strongly related to estimated dietary vitamin C intake. @c:CONCLUSIONS: Low serum vitamin C is associated with high PAI-1 activity, which is in turn associated with increased risk of ischaemic heart disease. The authors hypothesise that activation of the acute phase response by infection may increase PAI-1 activity, which may also increase risk of coronary artery thrombosis. They further suggest that vitamin C may attenuate this response.

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References

Woodhouse PR et al. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, the acute phase response and vitamin C. Atherosclerosis. 133(1): 71-6. Aug 1997. @i:27