Decreased antioxidant-vitamin nutritional status may increase lipid peroxidation 
and susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to oxidative modification. 
The aim of this study was to evaluate the vitamin nutritional status of coronary 
artery disease (CAD) patients and to assess the risk of CAD related to each 
individual antioxidant vitamin. The study was performed as a case-control study 
with 41 patients with angiographically demonstrated CAD and 41 apparently 
healthy age- and smoking status-matched controls. Plasma vitamin E, C and A 
concentrations were significantly decreased in CAD patients compared with 
controls (p < 0.001) after correcting for significant covariates. Per quartile 
decrease in vitamin A and E concentrations was associated with increased risk of 
CAD, even after adjusting for CAD risk factors, while per quartile decrease in 
vitamin C concentrations was not associated with significant CAD risk after 
adjusting for CAD risk factors. Decreased vitamin A and E concentrations are 
independently associated with increased risk of CAD independent from other CAD 
risk factors in white male South Africans and dietary intervention strategies 
are advocated.