Levels of proinflammatory cytokines and hs-CRP in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia.
OBJECTIVE
Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an extremely rare (1/1,000,000) condition characterized by markedly increased LDL cholesterol levels and a significantly increased risk of premature coronary heart disease (CHD). We aimed to evaluate the levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and proinflammatory cytokines, which are known to be associated with atherogenesis, in patients with this condition.


RESULTS
A total of 10 patients with homozygous FH (5 women and 5 men, mean age 17.0 +/- 6.9 years, body mass index (BMI) (18.8 +/- 1.9 kg/m2) and 16 healthy controls were included. hs-CRP levels, proinflammatory cytokine levels and lipid parameters were measured and compared between patients and control subjects. Homozygous FH patients had significantly higher total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and Lp(a) levels and significantly lower triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels, compared to controls (P = 0.0001, for all). Serum hs-CRP (3.7 +/- 1.3 mg/L vs. 0.6 +/- 0.6 mg/L) and IL-1beta, IL-2R, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-alpha levels were all significantly higher in the homozygous FH group, compared to controls (P = 0.0001, for all).


CONCLUSIONS
Homozygous FH patients have significantly higher levels of hs-CRP and circulating proinflammatory cytokines, which may explain their increased risk of atherosclerotic disease. hs-CRP is an important biomarker that may be helpful in the identification of asymptomatic CHD in FH patients.
Gokalp
Deniz
D
Dicle University School of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology, Diyarbakir, Turkey. dgokalp@dicle.edu.tr
Tuzcu
Alpaslan
A
Bahceci
Mithat
M
Arikan
Senay
S
Pirinccioglu
Ayfer Gozu
AG
Bahceci
Selen
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D007118:Immunoassay; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D002097:C-Reactive Protein