Abstract

Plasma carotenoid levels were compared among 64 healthy male subjects (control) and 38 patients of ischemic heart disease(IHD) and 20 ones of cerebral infarction(CI) all of whom were over 50years of age. Another 98 healthy male subjects aged 23 to 58 were selected to compare their plasma carotenoid levels by age groups, Levels of lutein, zeaxanthin and crpytoxanthin were lower in IHD(34+/-2, 13+/-1 and 62+/-7 microgram/dl)and CI(36+/-3, 12+/-2 and 41+/-6 microgram/dl)patient groups than in control group (84+/-5, 16+/-2 and 69+/-3 microgram/dl) while those of lycopene, alpha-and beta-carotene varied little among the three groups. The sum of the six carotenoid levels were levels were, therefore,highest(205+/-14 microgram/dl) in the control group followed by IHD(155+/-15 microgram/dl) and CI(128+/-17 microgram/dl) patient groups, Among the 98 healthy male subject for the age group study, levels of the three major carotenoids increased with age from the twenties to the fifities ; lutein, from 64+/-6 to 89+/-8 microgram/dl, cryptoxanthin, 57+/-8 to 73+/-4 microgram/dl and beta-carotene were more significantly correlated(r=0.30 to 0.61, p<0.01), whereas levels of lycopene and alpha-caroteme were significantly(r=0.21 - 0.23, p<0.05) correlated.

• Keywords: plasma carotenoids; healthy men; ischemic heart disease; cerebral infarction; age