Search

Serum levels of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins A-I and B were evaluated in 102 patients (75 males and 27 females; ages 58 +/- 8 and 61 +/- 7 years (mean +/- SD), respectively) with arteriosclerosis of the lower limbs of supra-aortic trunks. Compared to findings in 64 healthy, age-matched control subjects, male patients in both groups had significantly higher serum triglyceride levels (+42%, P less than 0.05), while female patients with lower limb arteriosclerosis showed significantly increased cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations (+19%, P less than 0.01 and +82%, P less than 0.05, respectively). LDL-triglycerides were also increased in all patients. HDL-cholesterol was significantly decreased in male patients with arteriosclerosis of the lower limbs (-27%, P less than 0.01) and the supra-aortic trunks (-28%, P less than 0.01), and in females of both groups (-26%, P less than 0.01 and -20%, P less than 0.01, respectively); in terms of percent, HDL2-cholesterol was reduced 2-fold compared to HDL3-cholesterol. Patient apolipoprotein A-I and B levels were unchanged. In male and female patients, correlations between triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol as well as HDL2-cholesterol were negative, but not significant; on the other hand, both correlations were negative and significant in male controls, while only the correlation between triglycerides and HDL2-cholesterol was negative and significant in the female controls. Since HDL-cholesterol, and in particular HDL2-cholesterol, concentrations seem closely related to the intravascular catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, the absence of a significant correlation between these parameters in the patients suggests a possible alteration in this metabolic process.

Serum lipid and lipoprotein levels, apolipoproteins A-I and B, and lipolytic enzyme activities were studied in 14 young male cyclists and in 21 age-matched sedentary controls. While there were no significant differences in serum cholesterol between the two groups, the cyclists showed a significant decrease in serum triglycerides (P less than 0.05) and LDL cholesterol (P less than 0.05) and had significantly higher levels of HDL cholesterol (P less than 0.01) and HDL2 cholesterol (P less than 0.001). Significantly lower serum cholesterol/HDL cholesterol (P less than 0.001) and LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol (P less than 0.001) ratios and a significantly higher HDL2 cholesterol/HDL3 cholesterol ratio (P less than 0.001) were observed in the athletes. Serum apolipoprotein B was lower and the Apo B/Apo A-I ratio significantly reduced in the athletes. No significant differences emerged between the two groups in plasma post-heparin lipoprotein lipase activity (LPL) and in hepatic triglyceride lipase activity (HTGL), and there were no correlations between HDL cholesterol and lipolytic enzyme activities. In conclusion, this cross-sectional study may indicate that an aerobic training program such as cycling is associated with an advantageous lipoprotein pattern; some factors other than lipolytic activity may contribute to increase the HDL cholesterol levels in physical training.