title: Increased levels of small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol associated with hemorheological abnormalities in untreated, early-stage essential hypertensives.
abstract: Among subfractions of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), small dense LDL-C (SdLDL-C) has been highlighted as the most atherogenic lipoprotein cholesterol. The present study aimed to compare the relationship of SdLDL-C with blood viscosity, a surrogate marker for cardiovascular disease, with that of other lipid fractions with blood viscosity in essential hypertensives (EHTs). In 128 untreated, early-stage EHTs, blood viscosity was measured with a falling-ball microviscometer, and serum levels of lipid fractions were determined. Blood and plasma viscosity was significantly higher in 49 patients with dyslipidemia (fasting serum level of LDL-C > 140 mg dl(-1), triglyceride > 150 mg dl(-1) or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) < 40 mg dl(-1)) compared with 79 patients without dyslipidemia, although hematocrit and RBC rigidity index 'k' did not differ between the two groups. Together, SdLDL-C, LDL-C, triglyceride and large LDL-C were positively correlated with blood viscosity, but for HDL-C, the correlation was negative. After adjusting for non-lipid variables that correlated with blood viscosity (that is, the age, body mass index, resting diastolic blood pressure, sex, hematocrit, plasma viscosity and homeostasis model of assessment of insulin resistance), SdLDL-C was most strongly associated with blood viscosity among the lipid fractions. These data suggest that SdLDL-C could strongly increase blood viscosity in EHTs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory and Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takiwaki
authors.affiliation: The Second Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumihiro
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomoda
authors.affiliation: The Second Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.affiliation: The Second Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taki
authors.affiliation: The Second Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kigawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory and Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Isaso
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kitajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Technology and Sciences, School of Health Sciences at Fukuoka International University of Health and Welfare, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uji
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL