Association between Blood Copper Levels and the Incidence of Ischemic Heart Disease

Abstract

Background: Ischemic heart disease is one of the interrelated disease amongst cardiovascular disease group. Pathophysiological model of ischemic heart disease and myocardial ischemia are caused by obstructive atherosclerotic plaque, which involves the narrowing of small blood vessels that oxygenate the heart muscle by the build-up of plaque. Diet plays an important role in ischemic heart disease. Copper, an essential trace metal micronutrient, is required for myocardial angiogenesis action. Copper deficiency leads to cardiac mitochondrial structural defect and interference in oxidative phosphorylation. Aims: This study aims to examine the association between blood copper levels amd the incidence of ischemic heart disease. Methods: A total of 30 patients in cardiovascular clinic in Universitas Sumatera Utara Hospital in Medan, Indonesia from September 2021 until January 2022 were included in this cross-sectional study, with descriptive analytics. Demographic data, smoking behavior, supplement consumption, anthropometry measurements, body mass index, medical history were collected. Food frequency questionnaire (semiquantitative FFQ) was used to obtain food recall data. Blood level of copper were analysed in Prodia Clinical Laboratory. Results: Out of 30 patients in this study, 70% were male with a mean age of 60.6 years old. Research subjects who had risk factor of smoking were as much as 33.3%. Comorbidities such as dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus were apparent, which were 63.3% and 30%, respectively. Sixty percent of the subjects were sedentary with mean body mass index 25.9 kg/m2. Median level of copper consumed daily was 1400 mcg/day and mean blood copper level was 1034,5 mg/L. Based on the blood copper level analysis of the subjects, we found  an insignificant negative correlation between blood copper level with the incidence of ischemic heart disease (r = -0.050; p <0.795). Conclusion: This study found no association between blood copper levels and the incidence of ischemic heart disease.