Impact of electronegative low-density lipoprotein on angiographic coronary atherosclerotic burden.
OBJECTIVE
Low density lipoproteins (LDL) with an electronegative charge [LDL(-)] may cause endothelial injury. We assessed the association between serum LDL(-) levels and coronary artery disease (CAD) severity.


METHODS
We prospectively enrolled patients with CAD angiographic evidence [stable angina (SA) or non-ST-elevation-acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS)], or with normal coronary arteries (NCA). Baseline LDL(-) serum levels were measured in all patients. Angiographic CAD extent was assessed by using the Bogaty extent index, while CAD severity by evaluating the presence of multi-vessel disease.


RESULTS
Forty-seven patients (age 61 ± 9 years, male sex 60%) were enrolled (17 SA, 15 NSTE-ACS and 15 NCA patients). LDL(-) levels were significantly higher in SA [21% (18-34) p = 0.0001] and NSTE-ACS [22% (18-28), p = 0.0001] as compared to NCA [6% (5-8)], without significant differences between SA and NSTE-ACS (p = 0.92). Multi-vessel disease patients had higher LDL(-) levels as compared to single-vessel disease patients (p = 0.002) but similar total LDL levels (p = 0.66). LDL(-) significantly correlated with extent index (r = 0.38, p = 0.03), while total LDL did not (p = 0.24).


CONCLUSIONS
LDL(-) serum levels are associated with CAD angiographic severity and extent. This exploratory analysis should prime further larger studies in order to assess LDL(-) proatherogenic role.
Istituto di Cardiologia, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy. gniccoli73@hotmail.it
Giampaolo
G
Niccoli
Marco
M
Bacà
Marco
M
De Spirito
Tiziana
T
Parasassi
Nicola
N
Cosentino
Giulia
G
Greco
Micaela
M
Conte
Rocco Antonio
RA
Montone
Giuseppe
G
Arcovito
Filippo
F
Crea
D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D000368:Aged; D060050:Angina, Stable / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012384:Rome; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D015415:Biomarkers; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein