Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) plasma levels and oxLDL to LDL ratio — Are they real oxidative stress markers in dialyzed patients?

Abstract

AimsDyslipidemia and oxidative stress are commonly present in patients during maintenance dialysis treatment. However, the significance of oxidized LDL (oxLDL) as a marker of oxidative stress in uremia is still unresolved. The aim of this study was to establish the role of oxLDL and oxLDL/LDL ratio as markers of lipoprotein abnormalities and oxidative stress in the dialyzed patients. Main methodsPlasma oxLDL level was measured by ELISA, and oxLDL/LDL ratio was calculated in 106 dialyzed patients and 20 controls. The linkages between oxLDL, oxLDL/LDL ratio and lipid profile and oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA) and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD) levels were also analyzed. Key findingsOxLDL levels and oxLDL/LDL ratio were similar in hemodialyzed patients and controls, whereas these parameters were lower in peritoneally dialyzed patients when compared to healthy individuals. In contrast, both MDA and Cu/Zn SOD levels were significantly higher in uremics than in controls. oxLDL and oxLDL/LDL ratio positively correlated with lipid profile (except of HDL), whereas there were no positive associations between these parameters and both MDA and Cu/Zn SOD. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that increased oxLDL/HDL and TC/HDL ratios and total cholesterol levels are the parameters which independently predicted oxLDL in dialyzed patients. In the case of oxLDL/LDL ratio, the independent variables were oxLDL/HDL ratio, total cholesterol and HDL levels. SignificanceoxLDL levels and oxLDL/LDL ratio seem to be the markers of lipoprotein abnormalities rather than the markers of oxidative stress in the population of dialyzed patients.