Oxidative stress after acute myocardial infarction: effect of thrombolytic treatment.

OBJECTIVE

Treatment with thrombolysis plays a crucial role in salvaging the myocardium in myocardial infarction (MI) patients, but reperfusion of ischaemic areas may itself be associated with reperfusion injury mediated by free radical induced oxidation. Hence the present study was planned to evaluate oxidative stress in patients receiving thrombolytic therapy during MI and to compare them with those not receiving thrombolysis.

METHODS

Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) was used as a marker of lipid peroxidation in 30 patients after acute MI. Thirteen were treated by intravenous thrombolysis and 17 served as control. Also, vitamin E levels were estimated in these patients.

RESULTS

Patients treated with thrombolysis showed a fall in vitamin E and increase in TBARS within first hours. The decrease in vitamin E was independent of a change in cholesterol. However, the levels were similar at 72 hours.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate increased free radical production after MI and reperfusion also increases in free radical production and antioxidants may have a part in improving thrombolytic reperfusion of ischaemic myocardium.