title: Association between elevated plasma fibrinogen and the small, dense low-density lipoprotein phenotype among postmenopausal women.
abstract: A predominance of small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles (subclass pattern B) has been associated with a 2- to threefold increase in coronary heart disease risk. Recently, it has been reported that LDL subclass pattern B is associated with hyperfibrinogenemia, which is also a coronary heart disease risk factor. The present study examined the relation between hyperfibrinogenemia and LDL subclass pattern in 258 postmenopausal women. A significant univariate correlation was observed between the concentration of cholesterol carried in small, dense LDL particles and plasma fibrinogen concentration (r = 0.17, p = 0.01). The prevalence of LDL subclass pattern B was 41.9% in the highest fibrinogen tertile, compared with 27.9% and 24.4% in the first and second tertiles, respectively (global chi-square 6.8, p = 0.03). The crude odds ratio (OR) for LDL subclass pattern B among women in the highest fibrinogen tertile, compared with the lower tertiles, was 2.03 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18 to 3.51, p = 0.01). After adjustment for age and plasma lipids (log(e) triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), the OR was 2.14 (95% CI 1.17 to 3.96, p = 0.01). Further adjustment for hematocrit, indicators of carbohydrate homeostasis, body mass index, waist circumference, and several variables related to lifestyle did not attenuate this association (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.27 to 5.27, p = 0.01). These data suggest that hyperfibrinogenemia and LDL subclass pattern B may be 2 components of a common syndrome and suggest that hyperfibrinogenemia may contribute to the increased coronary heart disease risk associated with LDL subclass pattern B.
authors.affiliation: Chicago Center for Clinical Research, and Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, 60610, USA.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marx
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cyrowski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005340:Fibrinogen