Coenzyme Q10 concentrations in coronary artery disease

Objectives: Ubiquinone-10 (CoQ10: the oxidized form of Coenyzme Q) is recognized as an antioxidant in the mitochondrial membrane and considered an anti-risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this report is to determine the levels of plasma CoQ10 and the ratios of CoQ10 to plasma lipids in CAD patients and to compare them to a matched control group. Methods: Sixty-four consecutive patients with CAD were studied and compared to 34 clinically healthy individuals. In addition to conventional lipid and lipoprotein analyses, plasma CoQ10 concentrations were measured by electrochemical high pressure liquid chromatography (EC-HPLC) after extraction of plasma with hexane-ethanol. Results: Plasma CoQ10 concentrations in patients with CAD and controls were found as 0.77 and 0.41 μmol/l, respectively (P< 0.01). Also, the ratio of CoQ10 to low density lipoprotein (LDL) was found significantly lower in patients with CAD when compared to controls (P< 0.01). Conclusions: Our results indicate that a relation exists between low plasma CoQ10 concentration and coronary artery disease, yet this correlation is not strong enough to indicate a causal relationship.