Highlights
- •Ascorbic acid infusion improved diastolic function in postmenopausal women.
- •Ascorbic acid infusion also improved the surrogate marker of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability.
- •Oxidative stress contributes to reduced diastolic function in postmenopausal women.
- •Oxidative stress is an important mediator of cardiovascular function.
Abstract
Objectives
We tested the hypothesis that oxidative stress contributes to reductions in left ventricular
diastolic (LV) function in estrogen-deficient postmenopausal women, related in part
to reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability.
Study design
LV diastolic function – recorded using transthoracic echocardiography and determined
as the peak early (E) to late (A) mitral inflow velocity ratio and the E to peak early
(e’) mitral annular velocity ratio – and brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD),
a biomarker of NO bioavailability, were measured during acute systemic infusions of
saline (control) and ascorbic acid (experimental model to decrease oxidative stress)
in healthy premenopausal women (N = 14, 18–40 years) and postmenopausal women (N = 23, 45–75 years).
Results
The E/A ratio was lower (1.16[1.06–1.33] vs 1.65[1.5–2.3]; median[interquartile range])
and the E/e’ ratio was elevated (8.8[7.6–9.9] vs. 6.6[5.5–7.3]) in postmenopausal
compared with premenopausal women, indicating reduced LV diastolic function. E/A and
E/e’ were correlated with FMD (r = 0.54 and r = −0.59, respectively, both P < 0.01). Ascorbic acid infusion improved both FMD (5.4 ± 2.0% to 7.8 ± 2.6%) and E/e’ (to 8.1[7.2–9.7], P = 0.01) in postmenopausal women but not in premenopausal women. Ascorbic acid did not
change E/A in either group.
Conclusion
The current study provides evidence that oxidative stress contributes to reduced LV
diastolic function in estrogen-deficient postmenopausal women, possibly by reducing
the availability of NO.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 12, 2016
Accepted:
August 11,
2016
Received in revised form:
August 9,
2016
Received:
April 22,
2016
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
