In Azores, the standardized mortality rate for coronary artery disease (CAD) is nearly the double when compared to mainland Portugal. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of conventional CAD risk factors, as well as the plasma aminothiol profile (and its major determinants), between two groups of healthy subjects from Ponta Delgada (in Azores) and Lisbon (in mainland) cities, searching for precoc...
In the Azores Archipelago age adjusted death rates from coronary artery disease (CAD) are two-fold higher than in mainland Portugal. Also, there is not a registered central database on the prevalent risk factors for atherosclerosis (AT), the major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Those factors can diverge in different populations, due to their genetic and/or particular exposure to environmental factors.
OBJECTIVES. To evaluate the plasma aminothiol profile (PAP) and serumgamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity, aswell as plasma folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6 concentrations, in 326 apparently healthy subjects from the Azores archipelago (Portugal). Also eventual relationships of PAP with conventional risk factors for atherosclerosis were investigated, aiming at the finding of early blood markers of the di...
BACKGROUND and AIMS: In the Azores age adjusted death rates from coronary heart disease (CHD) are two-fold higher than in mainland Portugal. We determined the prevalence of standard and emerging CHD risk factors in 206 female and 146 male Azorean subjects (mean age 41 years).
OBJECTIVES: Ascorbic (AA) and uric (UA) acids act as antioxidants and are capable to react with biologically relevant oxidants. We aimed to developed a simple, rapid, sensitive, and accurate ion-exclusion HPLC-UV methodology for the simultaneously determination of AA and UA in human plasma. METHODS: Analytical pre-requisites, such as the use of heparin as an anticoagulant and meta-phosphoric acid as a stabilize...
Alterations in the plasma aminothiols levels can be considered as important biomarkers for the diagnosis and screening of several human disorders, namely cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to optimize a rapid, sensitive and accurate RP-HPLC methodology with fluorescence detection, for the simultaneous determination of the total concentrations of cysteine, homocysteine, cysteinylglycine and glutathione in blood p...
Background: Atherosclerosis -a major cause of vascular disease, including ischemic heart disease (IHD), is a pathology that has a two-fold higher mortality rate in the Azorean Islands compared to mainland Portugal. Aim: This cross-sectional study investigated the role of genetic variation in the prevalence of atherosclerosis in this population. Subjects and methods: A total of 305 individuals were characterized...
Hcy, Cys, Cys-Gly and GSH are low molecular weight thiols that play important roles in the metabolism and homeostasis of the organism. An altered plasma aminothiols status can cause oxidative stress, thus contributing to atherogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the plasma levels of total Hcy, Cys, Cys-Gly and GSH, as well as GGT activity in apparently healthy subjects from the Island of S˜ao Jorge, ...
São Miguel (SM), Graciosa (GR) and São Jorge (SJ) are three islands of the Azores’ Archipelago, where the death rate from coronary artery disease is abouttwice than in mainland Portugal. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare serum atherogenic lipid markers as reflected by lipid profile, as well as by apoB/apoA-1 ratio in apparently healthy subjects from those islands. The study group was formed by 3...