DOES CHANGES iN TRACE ELEMENTS LEVELS EXPLAIN TISSUE HYPOXİA?

Plasma lipid peroxidation, iron (Fe}, zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) levels, viscosity and erythrocyte membrane deformibi­ lity (EMD) were measured in blood samples laken from 25 patients with peripheral vascular disease and 25 he­ althy individuals, to investigate the roles of lipid peroxidation and trace elements in chronic ischemia. in group with peripheral vascular disease, Fe, Cu and lipid peroxidation levels were found high, in contrast to low levels of Zn, vis­ cosity and EMD. The differences were stastistically meaningful. According to these results, levels of trace elements and oxidative stress were more important !han viscosity in hypoxia distal to atherosclerotic arteriel occlusion.