title: Gas chromatography analysis of serum cholesterol synthesis and absorption markers used to predict the efficacy of simvastatin in patients with coronary heart disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the changes in cholesterol absorption and synthesis markers before and after simvastatin therapy in Chinese patients with coronary heart disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a gas chromatography method to identify cholesterol synthesis and absorption markers and measured them in patients with coronary heart disease. We then tested their use in predicting the efficacy of simvastatin in lowering cholesterol. Serum samples from 45 patients and 38 healthy humans (controls) were analyzed in a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Squalene and five non-cholesterol sterols--desmosterol and lathosterol (synthesis markers) and campesterol, stigmasterol, and sitosterol (absorption markers)--were detected. The recovery rates of the markers were 95-102%. After simvastatin treatment for four weeks, the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels had significantly decreased from the baseline values (p<0.05). The baseline lathosterol level was significantly higher in good responders than in poor responders (p<0.05), and the stigmasterol level was significantly lower in good responders than in poor responders (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This method should be suitable for the detection of serum squalene and non-cholesterol markers and can be used to predict the efficacy of simvastatin in patients with coronary heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Heart Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China; Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Feng
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Beijing Center for Physical & Chemical Analysis, 27th West Third Ring North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100089, China.
authors.forename: Qi-Hui
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.affiliation: Beijing Center for Physical & Chemical Analysis, 27th West Third Ring North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100089, China. Electronic address: ellen2008liu@yahoo.com.cn.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Heart Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China; Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China. Electronic address: wanglvya2012@163.com.
authors.forename: Lv-Ya
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012015:Reference Standards; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D002784:Cholesterol; D019821:Simvastatin
keywords: 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A; Absorption and synthesis; ApoA; ApoB; BMI; BST-FA; CHD; Cholesterol; Coronary heart disease; GC; Gas chromatography; HDL-C; HMDS; HMG-CoA; LDL-C; Lp; Markers; RSD; Relative standard deviations; TC; TG; TMCS; TMSI; apolipoprotein A; apolipoprotein B; bis-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide; body mass index; coronary heart disease; gas chromatography; hexamethyldisiloxane; high density lipoproteins cholesterol; lipoprotein; low density lipoproteins cholesterol; total cholesterol; tri methyl chloro Silane; triglyceride; trimethylsilyl imidazole