Plasma vaspin concentrations are decreased in acute coronary syndrome,but unchanged in patients without coronary lesions

Objective

Previous studies suggested that decreased serum vaspin levels were associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). The present study aimed to investigate the association between plasma vaspin levels and different states of CAD.

Design and methods

A total of 162 patients with coronary angiography (CAG) proved that CAD was enrolled. Additional 103 patients complained with “chest discomfort” with negative CAG, and 60 normal subjects were enrolled in this study. The levels of plasma vaspin, adiponectin, clinical parameters, lipid profile and C reactive protein (CRP) were measured.

Results

The levels of plasma vaspin were significantly lower in the CAD group (0.47 ± 0.63 μg/L) than those in the healthy group and CAG (−) group (all p < 0.001). In CAD group, the pos hoc analysis showed that serum vaspin concentration in acute myocardial infarction group (0.21 ± 0.19 μg/L) was significantly lower than that in the unstable angina pectoris group (0.40 ± 0.37 μg/L) (p = 0.012), and serum vaspin concentration in unstable angina pectoris was significantly lower than that in stable angina pectoris group (0.92 ± 0.94 μg/L) (p = 0.013). The plasma vaspin concentration was also negatively correlated with the severity of CAD (1-vessel: 0.86 ± 0.90 μg/L; 2-vessel: 0.36 ± 0.39 μg/L; 3-vessel: 0.21 ± 0.16 μg/L). The plasma vaspin concentration in CAG (−) group with “chest discomfort” (1.93 ± 2.57 μg/L) was similar to the healthy control group (2.18 ± 3.49 μg/L).

Conclusions

The plasma vaspin concentration correlated to the severity of CAD. Furthermore, plasma vaspin has a value of avoiding patients without CAD from unnecessary CAG.     

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein gene polymorphisms are associated with coronary artery disease in Corsican population (France)

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between coronary artery disease (CAD) and Cholesterol Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) (gaaa)n polymorphisms of the CETP gene in Central Corsica island (France). The study group was composed by 300 unrelated Corsican patients with angiographically documented CAD and 300 unrelated healthy blood donors. Significant differences were observed in the distribution of CETP (gaaa)n alleles between the groups under study (p=0.03; chi(2): 16.8, df: 8). The occurrence of a long allele (408 bp) was higher in cases (12%) than in control group (2%), showing a 6.75-fold increased risk for CAD in Corsica patients (p=0.0055; OR=6.750; 95% CIs=1.47-31.00). The correlation of this polymorphism with the lipid profile (cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglycerides) in the patients group was determined. There was a significant association of the long alleles of CETP (gaaa)n with HDL-C levels. In the patient and in the control groups the LL genotypes had lower HDL-C compared with the SS and SL genotypes (p<0.0001). In summary our results suggest that the genetic variation at the CETP gene may play an important role in determining CAD in Corsican population.     

Use of calcium supplements and the risk of coronary heart disease in 52–62-year-old women: The Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Study

Background

To analyse prospectively the effect of calcium or calcium + D supplementation on coronary heart disease (CHD) in 52–62-year-old women.

Methods and results

10,555 52–62-year-old women from the population-based Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Study (OSTPRE) who did not have CHD at baseline were followed for nearly 7 years in 1994–2001. Information about use of calcium supplements and health events was obtained from two repeated questionnaires in 1989 and 1994. Information about causes of death during the follow-up was obtained from the Statistics Finland. Information about CHD and other disease morbidity before and during the follow-up was obtained from the Registry of Specially Refunded Drugs of the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (SII). Cox's proportional-hazards models were used to estimate the risk of CHD morbidity related to the use of calcium supplements. At baseline, 2723 women reported current use of calcium or calcium + D supplementation. During the follow-up, CHD was diagnosed in 513 women. Compared to non-users of calcium/calcium + D supplements, the multivariate adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of CHD was 1.24 (95% CI 1.02–1.52) in women who used these supplements. The multivariate adjusted HR for CHD morbidity in postmenopausal women who used calcium/calcium + D supplements was 1.26 (95% CI 1.01–1.57).

Conclusions

Calcium or calcium + D supplementation appears to increase the risk of CHD among women before old age.     

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate/free androgen index ratio predicts a favorable metabolic profile in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

Potential effect of hyperandrogenemia on metabolic disturbances in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has always been a matter of interest. We analyzed the records of 125 patients with PCOS and 54 age-matched healthy women. All participants underwent biochemical and hormonal assessment and a 75?g oral glucose tolerance test was performed. PCOS and control groups were comparable in terms of age. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate/free androgen index (DHEAS/FAI) ratio was negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI) (p?<?.001), fasting glucose (p?=?.02), area under the curve (AUC) of glucose (p?=?.03), AUC of insulin (p?=?.001), homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p?<?.001), and triglycerides (TG) (p?=?.009), and positively correlated with insulin sensitivity index (ISI) (p?<?.001) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (p?<?.001) among PCOS patients. In logistic regression analysis, higher DHEAS/FAI ratio levels were associated with lower risk of low HDL-C [RR(95%CI); 0.97(0.95–0.98); p?<?.001] as well as atherogenic dyslipidemia (TG/HDL-C) [RR(95%CI); 0.97(0.94–0.99); p?=?.035] even after adjustment for BMI in the PCOS group. Androgens, DHEAS and FAI act differently on metabolic parameters. Our results demonstrate that high DHEA-S/FAI ratio levels are associated with a more favorable metabolic profile.     

The association of non-HDL cholesterol with the presence of metabolic syndrome in North Indian subjects with and without CAD

Aim: The present study aims to identify which lipid parameter is significantly associated with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and also to find out the association of non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDL-C) with the presence of MetS in North Indian subjects with and without CAD.

Subjects and methods: One hundred and thirteen CAD and 140 non-CAD (controls) aged 35–75 years were recruited for the study, matched for ethnicity and geography after obtaining their written informed consent. The CAD patients were identified based on their medical diagnostic history. Height, weight, waist and hip circumferences, blood pressures (systolic and diastolic) and lipid profile were measured for all the subjects.

Results: Sixty-nine out of 113 (61.06%) of CAD and 52/140 (37.1%) of non-CAD had MetS. Age standardized prevalence of MetS was 23.2% and 16.1% in CAD and non-CAD individuals, respectively. Age standardized prevalence of metabolic abnormalities in the CAD group was in the order of abdominal obesity>non-HDL-C>systolic blood pressure (SBP) > triglyceride (TG) > total cholesterol (TC) > diastolic blood pressure (DBP) > Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) > High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C). Non-HDL-C, TG and HDL-C were found to be significantly associated with MetS.

Conclusions: TG and HDL-C are established risk components included in the characterization of MetS; but significant association of non-HDL-C with MetS in the present study is a key finding. The study focuses on the use of non-HDL-C as a simple screening tool to identify individuals with clustering metabolic abnormalities which increase the propensity for CAD.     

Association between apolipoprotein E polymorphism and serum lipid and apolipoprotein levels with Alzheimer's disease

We have recently demonstrated that apolipoprotein E (APOE)-varepsilon4 allele is a risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD) in Tehran, Iran. The current study specifically aimed to examine whether APOE polymorphism in association with serum lipids-apolipoprotein level is a risk factor for AD in a population from Tehran, Iran. APOE polymorphism and plasma lipids, apoA1, apoB and lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) levels were determined in 94 AD patients and 111matched controls. Our study demonstrated a significant association between APOE polymorphism and the level of plasma lipids and apolipoprotein with AD in this population. The AD subjects had significantly lower apoA1 (p<0.001) and HDL-C (p<0.01) and higher apoB (p=0.01) and LDL-C (p=0.02) levels than that of the control group. The AD subjects carrying APOE-varepsilon4 allele had lower plasma apoA1 (t=5.2, p<0.002) and HDL-C level (t=2.7, p=0.01) but had higher plasma apoB (t=-5.4, p<0.002), LDL-C (t=-4.6, p=0.005) and total cholesterol (TC) (t=-2.7, p=0.01) than that of the non APOE-varepsilon4 carriers. These results indicated that AD patients with APOE-varepsilon4 allele has a distinct plasma lipid profile and carrier of this allele with low levels of apoA1 and HDL-C may be more susceptible to AD.