Study on the relationship between serum high density lipoprotein and Pi-deficiency syndrome in patients with coronary heart disease

Objective To explore the relationship of Pi (脾)-deficiency syndrome in TCM with the change of serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) in blood lipid metabolic disorder. Methods Sixty-eight patients with confirmed coronary heart disease (CHD) were selected for TCM syndrome typing into Pideficiency (PD) group and non-Pi-deficiency (NPD) group. Routine blood lipids and serum lipoprotein electrophoretogram (SLPG) were determined in all patients to analyze the total content of HDL and its relative contents of sub-components HDL_1–5, as well as their relation with PD syndrome. Besides, a healthy control group (62 cases) was set up. Results The level of serum HDL-C was lowered, SLPG abnormality rate increased in the patients with CHD, with total HDL and the relative contents of subcomponent HDL₁ and HDL₃ significantly lower than those in the healthy control group (P<0.01). The total HDL, HDL₁ and HDL₃ in the PD group were also lower than those in the NPD group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion Serum HDL and its sub-components showed a definite relation with TCM PD syndrome type, therefore, further exploring the granular specificity of HDL and its sub-components as well as their influence on reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) may hopefully provide clues for developing RCT regulatory Chinese new drugs and for CHD prevention and treatment. Supported by Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (No. 06024432) and Scientific Project of Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Guangdong Province (No. 2060128)