SMALL DENSE LDL, CRP-HS AND INSULIN RESISTANCE ASSOCIATION IN POSTMENOPAUSE

BERG. GABRIELA; MUZZIO, MARIA LUZ; ZAGO, VALERIA; MIKSZTOWICZ, VERONICA; BASILIO, FRANCISCO; WIKINSKI, REGINA; SCHREIER, LAURA

ROMA, ITALIA

Congreso; XIV INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ATHEROSCLEROSIS; 2006

INTERNATIONAL ATHEROSCLEROSIS SOCIETY

Insulin resistance (IR) increases in postmenopause due to hormonal effect, age and abdominal obesity (AO). SdLDL formation is regulated by hepatic lipase (HL), which activity is increased in postmenopause and in AO. Other emerging factor linked to AO is increased CRP, promoting oxidative stress. Objective: To establish the relationship between sdLDL, CRP-hs, AO and IR in postmenopausal women (PMW). Patients and Methods: We studied 25 PMW, aged 43-61 years and 25 premenopausal women (PreMW), aged 23-42 years, without hormonal treatment. In serum CRP-hs, insulin, glucose, TG and HDL-C were determined, sdLDL was separated by ultracentrifugation (d=1.048-1.063 g/ml); in post-heparin plasma HL activity was performed; waist circumference (WC) was measured as AO indicator, HOMA and TG/HDL-C ratio were calculated as surrogate markers of IR. Results: PMW presented higher CRP-hs (3.3±3.2 vs 0.8±0.6 mg/l), % sdLDL (22±7 vs 18±5), HL (19±6 vs 14±3 µmoles FFA/ml plasma.h), WC (87±10 vs 74±5 cm), p<0.01; HOMA (2.9±2.3 vs 1.6±0.7) p<0.04 and TG/HDL-C (2.9±1.8 vs 1.3±0.8) p<0.001. WC correlated with HL r=0.52, CRP-hs r=0.53, HOMA r=0.41 and TG/HDL-C r=0.57 p<0.001 and with sdLDL r=0.36 p<0.01.  In turn sdLDL correlated with HL r=0.48, CRP-hs r=0.45, HOMA r=0.47 and TG/HDL-C r=0.43 p<0.003. Multiple regression analysis showed that HL and HOMA were the main factors determining sdLDL production (=0.48 p0.03 and =0.55 p0.01, respectively). The association found between sdLDL and CRP-hs would indicate synergism, increasing their atherogenic potency in postmenopause.