Lipoprotein abnormalities in patients with extra-coronary arteriosclerosis

Abstract

Serum levels of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins A-I and B were evaluated in 102 patients (75 males and 27 females; ages 58 ± 8 and 61 ± 7 years (mean ± SD), respectively) with arteriosclerosis of the lower limbs or supra-aortic trunks. Compared to findings in 64 healthy, age-matched control subjects, male patients in both groups had significantly higher serum triglyceride levels ( + 42%, P < 0.05), while female patients with lower limb arteriosclerosis showed significantly increased cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations (+ 19%, P < 0.01 and + 82%, P < 0.05, respectively). LDL-triglycerides were also increased in all patients. HDL-cholesterol was significantly decreased in male patients with arteriosclerosis of the lower limbs (−27%, P < 0.01) and the supra-aortic trunks (−28%, P < 0.01), and in females of both groups (−26%, P < 0.01 and −20%, P < 0.01, respectively); in terms of percent, HDL 2-cholesterol was reduced 2-fold compared to HDL 3-cholesterol. Patient apolipoprotein A-I and B levels were unchanged. In male and female patients, correlations between triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol as well as HDLZ cholesterol were negative, but not significant; on the other hand, both correlations were negative and significant in male controls, while only the correlation between triglycerides and HDL 2-cholesterol was negative and significant in the female controls. Since HDL-cholesterol, and in particular HDL 2-cholesterol, concentrations seem closely related to the intravascular catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, the absence of a significant correlation between these parameters in the patients suggests a possible alteration in this metabolic process.