PLASMA THIOBARBITURIC ACID REACTIVE SUBSTANCES A PREDICTIVE MARKER OF CEREBRAL-ISCHEMIA IN PATIENTS AT HIGH-RISK

The clinical meaning of high values of blood lipid peroxides, assessed as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBA-RS), was investigated in 19 selected high risk patients with transient ischemic attacks (TIA). Patients were checked every 3-6 months and followed-up for 3 years. 8 patients experienced further vascular episodes, 4 having minor stroke and 4 TIA; one of the latter died from myocardial infarction. Unlike blood cholesterol and glucose, TBA-RS values discriminated patients with vascular episodes: they, indeed, showed significant higher values of TBA-RS. Discriminant analysis further indicated that TBA-RS levels differentiate patients with and without vascular accidents, suggesting that high blood values of lipid peroxides could represent a predictive sign of vascular ischemia.