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(Circulation. 2000;102:1233.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.

Clinical Investigation and Reports

Coronary Heart Disease in Smokers

Vitamin C Restores Coronary Microcirculatory Function

Philipp A. Kaufmann, MD; Tomaso Gnecchi-Ruscone, MD; Marco di Terlizzi, MD; Klaus P. Schäfers, MSc; Thomas F. Lüscher, MD, FESC, FACC, FRCP; Paolo G. Camici, MD, FESC, FACC, FRCP

From MRC Clinical Sciences Centre (P.A.K., T.G.-R., M. di T., K.P.S., P.G.C.), Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK; and Cardiology (P.A.K., T.F.L.), University Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland. Dr Schäfers’ current address is Klinik und Poliklinik fur Nuklearmedizin, Universitat Muenster, Muenster, Germany.

Correspondence to Paolo G. Camici, MD, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 ONN, UK. E-mail paolo.camici{at}csc.mrc.ac.uk

Background—Coronary endothelial function and vasomotion are impaired in smokers without coronary disease, and this is thought to be due to increased oxidative stress.

Methods and Results—We used positron emission tomography to measure the coronary flow reserve, an integrated measure of coronary flow, through both the large epicardial coronary arteries and the microcirculation in 11 smokers and 8 control subjects before and after administration of the antioxidant vitamin C. At baseline, coronary flow reserve was reduced by 21% in smokers compared with control subjects (P<0.05) but was normalized after vitamin C, whereas the drug had no effect in control subjects.

Conclusions—The present study is the first to demonstrate that the noxious prooxidant effects of smoking extend beyond the epicardial arteries to the coronary microcirculation and affect the regulation of myocardial blood flow. Vitamin C restores coronary microcirculatory responsiveness and impaired coronary flow reserve in smokers, which provides evidence that the damaging effect of smoking is at least in part accounted for by an increased oxidative stress.

Key Words: blood flow • coronary arteries • circulation • tomography • smoking • vitamins

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