Lipid profiles in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis

Background: Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (APAS) is an important ca use of renal disease in the elderly, and these patients have a high morbidi ty and mortality. There are no data on their blood lipid profiles. Methods: The lipoprotein profiles were examined in patients with proven ARAS and co mpared with patients matched for age, gender, renal function and presence o f diabetes. Results: The profiles did not show any significant difference f or apolipoprotein B (control 1.33 +/- 0.39 vs. APAS 1.24 +/- 0.28; mean +/- SD), cholesterol (control 5.65 +/- 1.28 vs. APAS 6.12 +/- 1.29), LDL chole sterol (control 3.72 +/- 1.03 vs. ARAS 4.06 +/- 1.18), fibrinogen (control 2.48 +/- 1.39 vs. ARAS 3.29 +/- 1.49), HDL cholesterol (control 1.16 +/- 0. 38 vs. APAS 1.00 +/- 0.26) and triglyceride (control 1.68 +/- 0.80 vs. ARAS 2.32 +/- 1.73) levels between the groups. Surprisingly lipoprotein(a) leve ls were higher in the control group (0.58 +/- 0.45) vs. APAS (0.31 +/- 0.21 ). The most striking abnormality was the markedly lower apolipoprotein Al l evels in the APAS group (control 2.09 +/- 0.55 vs. APAS 0.95 +/- 0.30) and apolipoprotein A1/B ratio (control 1.74 +/- 0.71 vs. APAS 0.78 +/- 0.24). C onclusion: The lipoprotein abnormality in APAS mirrors that in other severe vascular diseases. Potential therapeutic interventions in patients with AR AS should consider treatments to modify the apolipoprotein Al concentration rather than cholesterol alone.