Lipid peroxidation in autoimmune systemic vasculitides. Effect of corticoid treatment on lipid peroxidation. Antioxidant protection with vitamin E.

The effect of treatment with prednisone on lipid peroxidation and on lipid metabolism generally and the effect of vitamin E on plasma lipid peroxidation were studied in a group of patients with autoimmune systemic vasculitides. Vitamin E total plasma antioxidant capacity was determined to ascertain the antioxidant efficiency of vitamin E. Treatment with prednisone was found to induce disturbances of the lipid metabolism at the level of total cholesterol and of triglycerides. The increased values of the LDL/HDL ratio showed an increased risk of vascular disturbance in the patients investigated. The high level of lipid peroxides associated with a reduced activity of the endogenous antioxidant system was found to be uninfluenced by treatment with prednisone. Treatment with vitamin E reduced the process of lipid peroxidation but the endogenous deficiency of the antioxidant capacity prevented it to resume its normal values. In spite of the antiinflammatory and antioxidant treatment the high level of lipid peroxides might induce a self-maintained chronic process which, in time, might lead to the aggravation of the degenerative vascular changes.