title: Oxidized low-density lipoprotein in postmenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) leads to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, the most frequent causes of death worldwide. After menopause, lipid and lipoprotein metabolism changes and women are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease compared to fertile women. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of serum oxLDL in postmenopausal women and to identify possible associations of clinical and laboratory features with oxLDL in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  After clinical examination and completing a clinical questionnaire, an ultrasound examination of both carotid arteries was conducted and blood was drawn from 533 postmenopausal women. oxLDL concentration was determined using proton NMR spectroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oxidized LDL was detected in 12.4% (95% confidence interval 9.7-15.5) of postmenopausal women with a median of 0.18 mg/dl (interquartile range 0.10-0.43). Although intima-media thickness did not differ, postmenopausal women with serous oxLDL had more often atherosclerotic plaques compared to women without oxLDL (6/66 vs. 0/467; P < 0.01). Higher concentrations of high-density lipoprotein, impaired glucose intolerance, and DBP were independently associated with the occurrence of oxLDL. If oxLDL was present, higher high-density lipoprotein and glucose intolerance were associated with higher concentrations of oxLDL. In contrast, higher blood urea concentrations were associated with lower concentrations of oxLDL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study presents the prevalence and concentration of oxLDL in postmenopausal women and demonstrates that oxLDL concentration can be quantified by proton NMR spectroscopy in large patient samples. The data suggest that oxLDL may be a biomarker for incipient atherosclerotic changes in postmenopausal women. In contrary to the association of dyslipoproteinemia and diabetes, higher blood urea concentrations were associated with lower concentrations of oxLDL.
authors.affiliation: aKlinik für Anästhesiologie mit Schwerpunkt orperative Intensiv medizin, Campus Virchow Klinikum und Campus CharitéMitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin bMedizinische Klinik IV, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany cKlinik für Plastiche Chirurgie und Dermatologie, Artemedic AG, Olten, Switzerland dKlinik für Innere Medizin III, Alfred Krupp Krankenhaus Steele, Essen, Germany eKlinisk Institut Nefrologi, Odense Univeristetshospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kork
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jankowski
authors.forename: Alexander R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Just
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pfeilschifter
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tepel
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zidek
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jankowski
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D014508:Urea