Levels of plasma cysteine and blood glatathione in patients with cardiovascular diseases

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine whether the levels of aminothiols such as glutathione [GSH], cysteine [Cys] and homocysteine [Hcys] were affected by various cardiovascular diseases [CVD] and the relation between these two thiols Cys and GSH. Blood samples from 62 patients with atherosclerosis and 34 CV diseased subjects were analyzed and matched with control subjects. In the CV patients, free plasma Cys was significantly high and blood GSH levels were normal. In patients with ATH, bound plasma Cys was 21% higher than in control subjects and in patients with other CV diseases, it was 14% higher. There were no differences related to the duration of the disease or the functional disability. The abnormal levels of plasma Cys occurred in both ATH and other CV diseases indicated that high levels of oxidized and bound Cys in CV patients create an oxidative state which may increase the incidence to vascular damage