APOLIPOPROTEIN-B AND CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE IN WOMEN - A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN WOMEN UNDERGOING THEIR FIRST CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY

The association between plasma apolipoprotein (apo) B concentrations a nd angiographically determined coronary artery disease (CAD) was inves tigated in women in a cross-sectional study. Stenosis of >60% in 1 or more coronary arteries was classified as CADS. CAD- was defined as a m aximum stenosis of 10% in any coronary artery. Fasting plasma concentr ations of apoB, apoA-I, cholesterol (chol), low density lipoprotein ch olesterol (LDL-chol), high density Lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-chol), and triglycerides (TGs) were determined. Information on nonlipid risk factors was obtained from questionnaires. CADS women (n=160) were old er than CAD- women (n=129), 64.0+/-7.8 vs 57.8+/-11.1 years, respectiv ely. CADS compared with CAD- women had higher frequencies of diabetes (14.7% vs 5.8%, P=0.05), hypertension (53% vs 37%, P=0.018), and ever- smoking (48% vs 35%, P<0.001). CADS women had higher plasma concentrat ions of apoB (1.48+/-0.32 vs 1.25+/-0.34 g/L, P<0.001), chol (7.01+/-1 .19 vs 6.38+/-1.22 mmol/L, P=0.001), LDL-chol (4.74+/-1.09 vs 4.13+/-1 .13 mmol/L, P<0.001), and TGs (1.98+/-0.84 vs 1.71+/-0.93 mmol/L, P=0. 007) and lower levels of HDL-chol (1.28+/-0.28 vs 1.37+/-1.38 mmol/L, P=0.028). After correction for nonlipid risk factors, apoB, chol, LDL- chol, HDL-chol, and TG were independently related to CAD. In the lowes t quartiles of chol, LDL-chol, and TG, CADS women had higher apoB conc entrations than CAD- women. In contrast, chol, LDL-chol, TG, or HDL-ch ol levels were not different in any quartile of apoB. ApoB showed the most significant relation with the number of stenotic vessels, and apo B was associated with CAD in the normolipidemic subgroup. In conclusio n, apoB was superior to chol, LDL-chol, HDL-chol, TG, and apoA-I in di scriminating between CAD+ and CAD-.