APOLIPOPROTEINS IN OBESITY - EFFECT OF WEIGHT-LOSS

We evaluated serum concentrations of apoprotein (APO) A1, B, total cho lesterol, triglycerides, high density cholesterol (HDL-C), and low den sity cholesterol (LDL-C) in twelve obese subjects whose body mass inde x (BMI) was greater than or equal to 30 before and after a clinically significant weight loss was obtained utilizing a very-low calorie diet (VLCD) consisting of liquid protein (Optifast(R)) providing 800 calor ies a day. At baseline, the mean weight +/- SD was 119.77 Kg and decre ased significantly to 89.29 +/- 13.46 Kg by 24 weeks. Statistically si gnificant reductions of APO-A1, APO-B, total cholesterol, and triglyce ride concentrations were also observed along with the weight loss. LDL -C decreased from 156.0 +/- 55.9 mg/dL to 122.5 +/- 42.2 mg/dL (4.03 /- 1.4 to 3.16 +/- 1.1 mmol/L), but this difference was not statistica lly significant. There was no significant change in the HDL-C and the ratios of APO-A1 to APO-B.We conclude that the use of the VLCD is asso ciated with changes in the lipid pattern that lower the cardiovascular risk profile in addition to the beneficial effects of weight loss its elf.