Diet, antioxidant vitamins, oxidative stress and risk of coronary artery disease: the Peerzada Prospective Study.

The prevalence of coronary artery (CAD) disease in the Indian urban population is comparable to British population. Dietary intakes, antioxidant vitamins, prevalence of risk factors and CAD, were studied in a random sample of 152 adult urban subjects between 26-65 years of age (80 males, 72 females) from Peerzada street, Moradabad and compared with Indian immigrants to U.K. and a British comparison group. There was no significant relation with vitamin A. Smoking and diabetes were the confounding factors. Plasma antioxidant vitamin C (21.6 +/- 3.3 vs 42.5 +/- 4.5 mumol/L), vitamin E (15.2 +/- 2.8 vs 21.4 +/- 3.2 mumol/L) and beta-carotene (0.33 +/- 0.6 vs 0.55 +/- 0.08 mumol/L) were significantly lowered and lipid peroxides higher (2.82 +/- 0.22 vs 1.3 +/- 0.20 nmol/ml) in patients with CAD compared to subjects without any risk factors. The relation between low plasma level of vitamin C and E levels and carotene remained independently and inversely related after adjustment for smoking, diabetes and other risk factors. Regression analysis showed that after adjustment. Odd's ratio for carotene (1.82, 95% C.I. 0.50 to 3.72), vitamin C (2.23, 95% C.I. 1.14 to 5.26) and vitamin E (2.35, 95% C.I. 1.29 to 5.30) were significantly related to CAD. Underlying these changes, dietary intake of vitamin A, E, C and beta-carotene was significantly less in patients with CAD. Vitamin C and beta-carotene intake were less in smokers and diabetes. Compared with British population, the Indian urbans consumed less total and saturated fat and cholesterol and more polyunsaturated fat and complex carbohydrates. The plasma total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were less in Indian urbans compared to Britons and so were mean body weight, body mass index and waist-hip ratio. Plasma insulin levels were comparable. The fatty acid composition of the diet, blood lipids, central obesity and insulin levels do not appear to account for high rates of CAD among Indians. The findings suggest that urban population in India may benefit from eating diets rich in antioxidant vitamin C, E and beta-carotene.