The levels of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in healthy people in the central region of the Black Sea

Lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins are among the risk factors for the most serious health problem of the age - coronary artery disease (CAD). Th ey vary fi-om country to country, from area to area within a country, depen ding on genetic, environmental, dietary and many other factors. Our aim was to determine the levels of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in hea lthy people in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. Subjects included 1348 volunteers (682 women, 666 men) referred to the Medi cal Faculty hospital from the study area. The population consisted of healt hy people or those whose disease was not affecting the metabolism of lipids . Cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels in the obtained seru m samples were measured spectrophotometrically, while apolipoprotein,A-I, a polipoprotein B, apolipoprotein E and lipoprotein(a) levels were measured n ephelometrically. The levels of lipid parameters were as follows: total cholesterol for men w as 4.22 +/- 1.00 mmol/l (mean arithmetic +/- SD), triglyceride 1.20 mmol/l (0.30-4.44) [geometric mean (range)], HDL-cholesterol 0.88 +/- 0.22 mmol/l, LDL-cholesterol 2.69 +/- 0.85 mmol/l, apolipoprotein A-I 1.26 +/- 0.22 mmo l/l apolipoprotein B 1.12 +/- 0.32 mmol/l, apolipoprotein E 0.037 +/- 0.012 mmol/l and lipoprotein(a) 0.25 g/l (0.03-2.75); total cholesterol for wome n was 4.53 +/- 1.00 mmol/l, triglyceride 1.05 mmol/l (0.28-4.50), HDL-chole sterol 1.08 +/- 0.26 mmol/l, LDL-cholesterol 2.87 +/- 0.88 mmol/l, apolipop rotein A-I 1.45 +/- 0.25 mmol/l, apolipoprotein B 1.11 +/- 0.31 mmol/l, apo lipoprotein E 0.039 +/- 0.011 mmol/l and lipoprotein(a) 0.22 g/l(0.03-2.16) . In conclusion, our study in four different regions in Turkey reflected that the people living in the central Black Sea reg;ion are less vulnerable to the risk of CAD, although at a relatively higher risk compared to some othe r countries.