title: Blood serum apolipoproteins B and A-I in females suffering from rheumatic heart valve disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With the aim to check whether the atherogenic factors are involved in the mechanisms of valve fibrosis, we have studied the blood serum concentrations of apolipoproteins (apo) A-I and B concentration in patients suffering from rheumatic heart valve fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The quantities of apoA-I and apoB in the blood serum were tested by the ELISA method. Concentration of apoA-I and B in the blood serum was determined in rheumatic females with replacement of the damaged valves: after aortic valve operation (n=11; mean age 43.3+/-3.6 years) and after mitral valve operation (n=29; 41.3+/-4.1). The results obtained for rheumatic patients were compared with the data on age-matched healthy females (n=43; 39.5+/-5.2 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly lower apoA-I level in the blood serum of all patients suffering from rheumatic heart valve disease was determined as compared with controls: in the pooled group of patients (1.02+/-0.22 vs 1.23+/-0.23 g/l, P<0.001), in women after aortic valve replacement (0.98+/-0.21 vs. 1.23+/-0.23 g/l, P<0.005), and in women after mitral valve surgery (1.03+/-0.23 g/l vs 1.23+/-0.23 g/l, P<0.005). The apoB level in patients suffering from rheumatic heart valve disease did not differ from that of controls. The apoB/apoA-I ratio for patients with valve fibrotic damage was significantly higher as compared to controls in all groups (P<0.02). The increase of apoB/apoA-I ratio in patients with rheumatic valve fibrosis was caused by lower apoA-I levels in blood serum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained results indicate that decreased apoA-I levels in blood serum can be indicative of valve fibrosis in rheumatic heart valve disease patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncology, Vilnius University, Santariskiu 4, 2000 Vilnius, Lithuania. donatasstakisaitis@vvkt.lt
authors.forename: Donatas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stakisaitis
authors.forename: Arūnas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maksvytis
authors.forename: Kestutis
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Salcius
authors.forename: Rimantas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benetis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood*; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D001055:Apolipoproteins B