Elevated plasma levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein relate to the presence of angiographically detected complex and thrombotic coronary artery lesion morphology in patients with unstable angina.
BACKGROUND
Increased levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) are related to plaque instability, so the aim of the present study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between angiographic coronary plaque morphology in patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) and the level of ox-LDL.


RESULTS
Plasma ox-LDL levels were measured in 149 patients with UAP and in 88 control subjects, using a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Angiographic morphology of the culprit lesion was classified as either simple or complex based on the Ambrose classification. Plasma ox-LDL levels in patients with Braunwald class III were significantly higher than in patients with class I (p<0.0001) or in control subjects (p<0.0001). In each of the 3 Braunwald classes, plasma ox-LDL levels in patients with a complex lesion were significantly higher than in patients with a simple lesion. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that ox-LDL level and Braunwald class III were independent factors associated with angiographically detected complex lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
In each Braunwald class of UAP, elevated plasma levels of ox-LDL closely relate to the presence of angiographically detected complex and thrombotic lesion morphology.
Yamashita
Hajime
H
Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
Ehara
Shoichi
S
Yoshiyama
Minoru
M
Naruko
Takahiko
T
Haze
Kazuo
K
Shirai
Nobuyuki
N
Sugama
Yoshimi
Y
Ikura
Yoshihiro
Y
Ohsawa
Masahiko
M
Itabe
Hiroyuki
H
Kataoka
Toru
T
Kobayashi
Yoshiki
Y
Becker
Anton E
AE
Yoshikawa
Junichi
J
Ueda
Makiko
M
D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein