Regulation of free radical processes in healthy volunteers during experimental hyperthermia and in patients with coronary artery disease during summer heat waves

Background. In view of the worsening forecast for global temperature rise worldwide, it seems relevant to study the effects of abnormal heat waves on systemic regulatory processes in people with chronic diseases, in particular coronary artery disease (CAD).

Aims. This study aimed to investigate the effect of hyperthermia on oxidative stress parameters in patients with various severity of CAD and in healthy subjects.

Materials and methods. We studied the level of malonic dialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of Cu,Zn-containing superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) in healthy subjects under conditions of 30-day long simulated hyperthermia and in patients with different severity of CAD after the summer heat waves

Results. We revealed signs of oxidative stress in healthy volunteers during model hyperthermia that manifested as an increase in content of MDA in blood plasma. At the  same time we observed increasing activity of Cu,Zn-SOD in erythrocytes that  utilizes reactive oxygen species. The increase of Cu,Zn-SOD activity started with a certain latency what also can be explained by de novo enzyme biosynthesis induction. We also studied oxidative stress parameters in patients at high and moderate cardiovascular risk according to the SCORE risk chart with uncomplicated CAD course and in patients with complicated CAD with severe coronary damage according to angiography during the summer heat waves. We observed accumulation of MDA in blood plasma and increasing activity of erythrocyte Cu,Zn-SOD in patients with uncomplicated CAD. At the same time we noted that accumulation of MDA in blood plasma was not followed by any increase in activity of red blood cell Cu,Zn-SOD in patients with severe complicated CAD. This fact indicates dysregulation of free radical processes in patients with severe course of CAD during the heat waves.

Conclusions. The dysregulation of free-radical processes in patients with a severe clinical course of CAD has been revealed. 

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