Evaluation of serum lipid abnormalities in chronic nephritis

Background. In glomerular disease, disorders of lipid metabolism are suspec ted as factors exacerbating glomerular dysfunction. Although many reports h ave been published regarding metabolic disorders of lipids in renal disease , including nephrotic syndrome and chronic renal failure, there have been f ew published reports describing metabolic disorders of lipids in chronic ne phritis. Therefore, in patients with IgA nephritis, we evaluated correlatio ns between serum lipid levels and renal function and proteinuria. Methods. In 191 patients with IgA nephritis, we evaluated the correlations between serum lipid levels and renal function [creatinine clearance (C-Cr)] and proteinuria (UP). Serum lipids examined included total cholesterol (TC ), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-de nsity lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). apolipoproteins, phospholipids (PL), lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], and malandialdehyde (MDA). Results. Significant correlations were observed between serum lipid levels and C-Cr, UP, and age. There were no abnormalities in the mean values of re spective serum lipids examined. Although TC levels increased with age, HDL- C levels were not correlated with age. Hyperlipidemia was observed in 39.8% of subjects. Significant correlations were observed between levels of TC, TG, FL, LDL-C, apoB, apoC-II, and apoC-III and C-Cr, UP, and age. Significa nt correlations were also observed between levels of MDA, apoB/apoA-I, apoE /apoC-III, and C-Cr and age, as well as between apoE levels and UP and age. The levels of apoA-I and apoA-I/apoA-II ratio were significantly correlate d with UP alone, whereas the apoC-II/apoC-III ratio was significantly corre lated with C-Cr alone. There were no significant correlations between level s of HDL-C, apoA-II, and Lp(a) and C-Cr, UP, and age. Conclusions. Age, proteinuria. and renal function were related with changes in serum lipid levels in IgA nephritis. There were correlations between pr oteinuria and levels of apoA, as well as between renal function and apoC le vels.