title: Low-density lipoprotein particle size is not a discriminating marker for atherogenic risk in male offspring of parents with early coronary artery disease.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the importance of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size as a marker of atherogenic risk in male offspring of a parent with early coronary artery disease (CAD) before the age of 60 years. CAD-positive (CAD+) offspring were recruited into two groups based on age, 15 to 30 years (n = 20) and 31 to 45 years (n = 41), and matched to CAD-negative (CAD-) offspring by age and body mass index (BMI) (n = 20 and 21 per group). LDL peak particle diameter was assessed by polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis. There was no significant difference in LDL peak particle diameter between CAD+ and CAD- offspring (26.2 +/- 0.1 v 26.2 +/- 0.1 nm, mean +/- SE). There was also no difference between CAD+ offspring and CAD- offspring when comparisons were made within their own age group (26.5 +/- 0.1 nm in younger CAD+ offspring v 26.2 +/- 0.1 nm in younger CAD- offspring, and 26.0 +/- 0.1 nm in older CAD+ offspring v 26.1 +/- 0.2 nm in older CAD- offspring). Peak particle diameter was significantly greater in younger CAD+ offspring than in older CAD+ offspring (26.5 +/- 0.1 v 26.0 +/- 0.1 nm, P < .05). We conclude that small LDL particle size is not a discriminating marker for early atherogenic risk, and that measurement of LDL particle size has limited value in the assessment of coronary risk, at least in the age ranges we studied.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Slyper
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zvereva
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schectman
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL