title: High frequency of lipoprotein risk levels for cardiovascular disease in Takayasu arteritis.
abstract: The objective of this study is to characterize the lipoprotein risk levels in Takayasu arteritis (TA) patients and its possible association with disease activity and glucocorticoid use. Twenty-five female TA patients were consecutively included and compared with 30 age-, gender-, and body mass index-matched healthy controls. Demographic features and the lipid profile were determined and cardiovascular risk levels were evaluated according to NCEP/ATPIII. Total cholesterol (TC), LDL-c, HDL-c, and triglycerides were determined after a 12-h overnight fast. Exclusion criteria were conditions that interfere in the lipid profile. The disease duration was 6.6 +/- 7.4 years; 30% had clinical activity and 80% had laboratory activity. Regarding NCEP/ATPIII risk levels, TA patients presented higher frequency of lipid risk compared to controls: high TC (48% vs. 20%, p = 0.04), low HDL-c (20% vs. 0%, p = 0.015), and high triglycerides (36% vs. 10%, p = 0.026). No difference was observed related to LDL-c risk levels between both groups (40% vs. 20%, p = 0.14). Remarkably, 60% of the patients had at least one lipid risk factor for cardiovascular disease. No difference in the lipids was observed between patients with and without clinical activity; however, those with laboratory activity showed lower levels of HDL-c (1.37 +/- 0.42 vs. 2.00 +/- 0.63 mmol/L, p = 0.012) than patients without this activity. A negative correlation was found between HDL-c and CRP levels (r = -0.42, p = 0.04). Lipids were similar in patients under glucocorticoid compared to those without this therapy. This is the first study to identify that TA, an inflammatory disease, has a proatherogenic lipid profile which is associated to laboratory disease activity.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Division, Faculdade de Medicina e Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jozélio Freire
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Eloísa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonfá
authors.forename: Mailze C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bezerra
authors.forename: Rosa Maria Rodrigues
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D017697:Premenopause; D012307:Risk Factors; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein