Evaluation of the Coenzyme Q₁₀ and Some Biochemical Parameters in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a common diagnosis and a leading cause of death in both males and females. It accounts for 30% of deaths worldwide, including 40% in high-income countries and approximately 28% in developing nations. Several cardiac markers have been used to diagnose and manage cardiovascular diseases. The Coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) plays a potential role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases by improving cellular bioenergetics. This study aimed to evaluate the role of CoQ₁₀ and other biochemical parameters in IHD (angina pectoris and myocardial infarction). A case-control study was conducted at the Intensive Care Unit of Ibn-Sina Teaching Hospital and Al-Salam General Hospital in Nineveh Province, Iraq, for two months, from April 1 to June 1, 2022. It included 90 adult participants divided into case and control groups. The case group included 60 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit and diagnosed with IHD (myocardial infarction or angina pectoris), and the control group included 30 healthy participants matched in age and gender with the case group. Subsequent assay of C-reactive protein (CRP), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), troponin level, and serum CoQ₁₀. In this study, 81.7% of patients in the case group were diagnosed with myocardial infarction. Means of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), CRP, CPK, and troponin were significantly higher, while those of CoQ₁₀ were significantly lower in the case group, compared to the controls. Statistically, a significant moderate negative correlation was detected between CoQ₁₀ level and age. Moreover, significant weak correlations were observed between CoQ₁₀ level and all serum LDH, CRP, and troponin levels. Patients with IHDs had considerably low serum levels of CoQ₁₀, compared to the control group. The highest mean value of lipid profile, except for triglyceride, was observed in patients with IHD, compared to the control group. This explains the role that cholesterol compounds play in the progression of IHD. No significant correlations were found between CoQ₁₀ with body mass index and CPK. The CoQ₁₀ had a negative correlation with age, serum LDH, CRP, and troponin.