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Background and Aims: Visfatin is associated with atherosclerosis-related diseases. We assessed in non-diabetic individuals the association of plasma visfatin levels with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and the atherosclerosis-related metabolic variables., Methods and Results: When study population (n = 179, age 49 ± 11 years) was divided according to visfatin tertiles, the 10-year CVD Framingham risk scores were significantly increased in the top visfatin tertile. We observed a positive association between visfatin tertiles with waist circumference and blood pressure, as well as with total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but not with apolipoprotein C-III, fibrinogen or pre-beta1 high density lipoprotein (HDL). The percentage of large HDL subclasses was significantly lower and the percentage of small HDL subclasses over the HDL-C concentration was significantly higher in the top visfatin tertile compared with the other tertiles. The atherogenic small dense low density lipoprotein subclasses (sdLDL-C) were significantly increased in the top visfatin tertile compared with the lower tertiles. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentration was significantly increased in the top visfatin tertile compared with the lower tertiles. Although age and sex distribution did not differ between visfatin tertiles, the simultaneous adjustment for these parameters attenuated the significance of the differences observed in sdLDL-C and hsCRP levels. Similarly, after adjustment for hsCRP or waist circumference, only triglycerides and blood pressure levels, as well as the distribution of HDL subclasses, remained significantly different between visfatin tertiles., Conclusions: Our results support a role for visfatin in the detection of subjects with many metabolic abnormalities, which result in increased CVD risk., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the effects of acute infection with Epstein-Barr virus (infectious mononucleosis, IM) on lipids and lipoproteins., Methods: Fasting serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TGs), apolipoproteins (apo) A-I, B, E, C-II, C-III and lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] were determined in patients with IM on diagnosis and 4 months after the resolution of febrile illness and in age- and sex-matched controls. Activities of cholesteryl-ester transfer protein (CETP), lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and paraoxonase 1 (PON1) as well as levels of several cytokines were determined. LDL subclass analysis was performed with the Lipoprint LDL System., Results: Twenty-nine patients (16 males, aged 24.3±14.6 years) and 30 controls were included. TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, apoA-I, apoB, apoC-III and Lp(a) levels were lower at baseline whereas apoB/apoA-I ratio, TG levels and CETP activity were elevated compared with 4 months later. At baseline, higher levels in cytokines and the cholesterol concentration of small-dense LDL particles (sdLDL-C) were noticed, whereas LDL particle size was lower compared with follow-up. Activities of Lp-PLA2 and PON1 were similar at baseline and 4 months later. Four months after the resolution of IM levels of TGs, apoE, apoC-III, Lp(a), sdLDL-C and cytokines as well as LDL particle size, apoB/apoA-I ratio, CETP and Lp-PLA2 activities were similar to controls. PON1 activities both at baseline and 4 months later were lower in patients compared with controls., Conclusions: IM is associated with atherogenic changes of lipids and lipoproteins that are partially restored 4 months after its resolution., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Serum lipid changes during infection may be associated with atherogenesis. No data are available on the effect of Brucellosis on lipids. Lipid parameters were determined in 28 patients with Brucellosis on admission and 4 months following treatment and were compared with 24 matched controls. Fasting levels of total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, apolipoproteins (Apo) A, B, E CII, and CIII, and oxidized LDL (oxLDL) were measured. Activities of serum cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP), paraoxonase 1 (PON1), and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) and levels of cytokines [interleukins (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNFa)] were also determined. On admission, patients compared with controls had 1) lower levels of TC, HDL-C, LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), ApoB, ApoAI, and ApoCIII and higher LDL-C/HDL-C and ApoB/ApoAI ratios; 2) higher levels of IL-1b, IL-6, and TNFa; 3) similar ApoCII and oxLDL levels and Lp-PLA(2) activity, lower PON1, and higher CETP activity; and 4) higher small dense LDL-C concentration. Four months later, increases in TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, ApoB, ApoAI, and ApoCIII levels, ApoB/ApoAI ratio, and PON1 activity were noticed compared with baseline, whereas CETP activity decreased. LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, ApoCII, and oxLDL levels, Lp-PLA(2) activity, and small dense LDL-C concentration were not altered. Brucella infection is associated with an atherogenic lipid profile that is not fully restored 4 months following treatment.