title: Total bilirubin in young men and women: association with risk markers for cardiovascular diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether high bilirubin concentration is a protective factor in cardiovascular disease (CAD) and how it correlates with parameters of oxidative stress in young males and females.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 628 healthy subjects of both genders, 18-22years of age. In fasting sera the concentration of total bilirubin (Tbil), parameters of cardiovascular risk and oxidative stress were determined. The results were analyzed by appropriate statistical methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no gender differences in body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and lipid profile between subjects with low and high Tbil level. Men with high Tbil had higher concentrations of albumin and uric acid (p<0.001) and lower of oxLDL (<0.05), while women had higher albumin (p<0.05) and lower TBARS (p<0.05). Significant positive correlation in men was found between Tbil, uric acid and albumin, while for glucose and TBARS this association was negative. In female significant positive correlation was between Tbil, HDL-C, fibrinogen, albumin and uric acid and negative between Tbil and TBARS. The high concentration of Tbil in men was independently associated with uric acid (p<0.05) and oxLDL (p<0.001), while in women it was independently associated with TBARS (p<0.05). After adjustment for traditional lipid parameters the predictive power of high bilirubin in men remained for uric acid (p<0.001) and TBARS in women (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings jointly support the concept that bilirubin via its antioxidant potential has a protective effect against cardiovascular disease in young male and female.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: stmarina@eunet.rs.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stojanov
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stefanovic
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dzingalasevic
authors.forename: Jasmina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ivanisevic
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miljkovic
authors.forename: Slavka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mandic-Radic
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prostran
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010808:Physical Examination; D012307:Risk Factors; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D012709:Serum Albumin; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D014527:Uric Acid; D005340:Fibrinogen; D001663:Bilirubin
keywords: Bilirubin; Cardiovascular diseases; Reactive oxygen species; oxLDL