ALTERATIONS IN PLASMA-LIPIDS, LIPOPROTEINS AND HIGH-DENSITY-LIPOPROTEIN SUBFRACTIONS IN PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL-DISEASE

The concentrations of the major lipoprotein classes and of high densit y lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions in 63 male patients with arterioscler osis of the lower limbs (claudication) were determined and compared wi th values from 63 healthy controls. The patients with peripheral arter ial disease (PAD) had reduced levels of total HDL-cholesterol and HDL2 b of large particle size, increased levels of small HDL3C particles an d a high ratio of total plasma-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol (coronar y risk factor). The PAD patients, however, had lower levels of low den sity lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol but higher concentrations of very l ow density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol and plasma triglyceride than healthy subjects. This study therefore suggests that in PAD, the prot ective effect of HDL may be more important than the atherogenic effect of LDL. It further suggests that while HDL-cholesterol HDL2b and the ratio of total plasma-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol may provide valid indices for identifying individuals at risk of PAD, other factors, su ch as LDL and total cholesterol, may not provide such an appropriate r isk indicator. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.