title: Atherogenic lipid profile in Behçet's disease: evidence of alteration of HDL subclasses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Behçet's disease (BD) is an inflammatory vasculitis, most common in the Mediterranean area and Asia. Evidence for accelerated atherosclerosis in BD has been observed. The relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and accelerated atherosclerosis in patients with BD is still controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the lipid profile and to investigate the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) size and the distribution of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subpopulations in BD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty six BD patients were compared to 36 healthy controls. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were measured using standard techniques. HDL subclasses and LDL-C size were estimated using polyacrylamide linear gradient gel electrophoresis. The LDL-C/HDL-C ratio was also calculated. High-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) level was measured by a turbidimetric method. Homocysteine (Hcy) level was determined using a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In BD patients, HDL-C levels as well as its subfraction levels were decreased (respectively, p <10(-6) and p <10(-3)). Percentage of HDL2 subpopulation was also decreased (p=0.02). HDL3 subfraction was significantly higher (p=0.02). The LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and CRP level were increased (respectively, p=10(-4) and p=0.003). TC was correlated with CRP. HDL-C and its subfractions were correlated with CRP and TG levels. HDL subparticle percentages were also correlated with age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings of a reduction of HDL-C and HDL2 subpopulation and an increase HDL3 subclass and a higher LDL-C/HDL-C ratio may be considered as important predictors of cardiovascular events in BD patients.
authors: Research Unit, Molecular Bases of Human Diseases, Sfax College of Medicine, Sfax, Tunisia. meriammessedi@yahoo.fr
authors: Meriam
authors: M
authors: Messedi
authors: Kamel
authors: K
authors: Jamoussi
authors: Makram
authors: M
authors: Frigui
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Laporte
authors: Mouna
authors: M
authors: Turki
authors: Khansa
authors: K
authors: Chaabouni
authors: Emna
authors: E
authors: Mnif
authors: Moez
authors: M
authors: Jaloulli
authors: Neila
authors: N
authors: Kaddour
authors: Zouhir
authors: Z
authors: Bahloul
authors: Fatma
authors: F
authors: Ayedi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010316:Particle Size; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides