The role of oxidative stress in atherosclerosis progression in patients with coronary heart disease combined with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The aim of the study is to specify the condition of "oxidants-antioxidants" system in patients with coronary heart disease (stable angina pectoris) combined with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) so as to assess the activity of a pathological process underlying atherosclerosis progression. Materials and Methods. 389 patients were examined. The 1st group consisted of the patients with stable angina pectoris combined with COPD. The patients with stable angina pectoris were included into the 2nd (control) group. And in the 3rd (control) group there were patients with COPD. Results. Maximum alterations of all lipid peroxidation indexes were revealed in the combination of stable angina pectoris and COPD. The amounts of primary lipid peroxidation products - diene and triene conjugates (DC and TC) - in the patients of the 1st and the 3rd groups were reduced but did not differ between themselves (DC, p=0.9; TC, p=0.6); and the amount of final lipid peroxidation products - Schiff bases (SB) - in 1st group patients appeared to be statistically significant more than that in 3rd group patients (p=0.006). The amount of DC, TC and SB exceeded the norm in 2nd group patients but was lower than that in the 1st group (p<0.05) and the 3rd group (p<0.05). Conclusion. In patients with coronary heart disease combined with COPD there is observed the intensification (potentiation) of pathological reaction resulting in a marked oxidative stress development. Thus, it can be concluded that lipid exchange imbalance and clinical manifestations of coronary heart disease with COPD will occur earlier than in the absence of COPD, and be severe.