Lipoprotein subfractions in patients with various cardiovascular risk

Abstract

Aim. To analyze lipoproteins subfractions in subjects with various cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Materials and methods. We included 91 patients (66 men, mean age 57±10 years; 25 women, mean age 61±11 years) with one or more atherosclerosis risk factors, with and without CVD. All patients were on hypolipidemic therapy with statins. Lipid parameters were determined by the enzymatic method, the quantitative determination of lipoprotein subfractions was carried out using the Lipoprint® Quantimetrix system (USA).

Results. All patients were divided into three groups: moderate risk (group 1, n = 13), high risk (group 2, n = 12), and very high risk with CVD (group 3, n = 66). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in lipids and lipoproteins subfractions, excepting small dense low-density lipoprotein (sdLDL) particles in the group 1 and 3 (median [25%; 75%]: 0.0 [0.0; 2.0] mg/dL and 2.0 [0.0; 3.0] mg/dL, respectively, p<0.05). We found that cardiovascular risk was positively associated with age (r = 0.325; p <0.01), the levels of subfractions of intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL-C, r = 0.225; p = 0.032) and sdLDL (r = 0.216; p < 0.039). An inverse relationship was demonstrated with small subfractions of IDL (IDL-A, r = -0.210; p = 0.046). According to multivariate analysis only association of sdLDL with higher cardiovascular risk remained (p = 0.022).

Conclusion. Patients with high and very high cardiovascular risk have increased levels of sdLDL particles.