APOLIPOPROTEIN PROFILE IN SUBJECTS WITH EXTRACRANIAL CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Relationships between plasma lipoproteins and cerebrovascular atherosc lerosis are not completely clear. In a group of asymptomatic nondiabet ic normolipidemic subjects, plasma lipid and apolipoprotein profiles h ave been related to extracranial carotid atherosclerotic lesions, as a ssessed by B-mode ultrasonography, and independent relations between l ipid and clinical parameters and carotid atherosclerosis have been eva luated. We have found that subjects with atherosclerotic lesions (both intimal thickening or plaque) had TG levels and CHO/HDL-C and LDL-C/H DL-C ratios significantly higher and HDL-C and apo A-I levels signific antly lower in comparison with subjects with normal arteries. When pat ients were divided according to the lesions of carotid arteries subjec ts with atherosclerotic plaque presented HDL-C and apo A-I levels sign ificantly reduced and TG and apo B levels and CHO/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL- C ratios significantly increased in comparison with subjects with norm al arteries, and HDL-C levels reduced and CHO/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ra tios increased in comparison with subjects with intimal thickening. Pa tients with intimal thickening and normal subjects differed for HDL-C and TG levels and CHO/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios. At multivariate an alysis HDL-C levels (negatively), age, hypertension and cigarette smok ing (positively) resulted independently associated with cerebrovascula r atherosclerosis. Our data seem to show that, although several lipid and apoprotein abnormalities are able to initiate the atherosclerotic process in extracranial carotid district, probably the presence of low HDL-cholesterol levels is an important condition to determine the fur ther worsening of the lesions.