Correlation between clinical course and quantitative analysis of the ischemia related artery in patients with unstable angina pectoris, refractory to medical treatment

Patients with unstable angina, refractory to intensive medical therapy, are at high risk for developing thrombotic complications, such as recurrent ischemia, myocardial infarction and coronary occlusion during coronary angioplasty. As both platelet ag

Erythrocyte-Bound Apolipoprotein B in Relation to Atherosclerosis, Serum Lipids and ABO Blood Group

Introduction:Erythrocytes carry apolipoprotein B on their membrane, but the determining factors of erythrocyte-bound apolipoprotein B (ery-apoB) are unknown. We aimed to explore the determinants of ery-apoB to gain more insight into potential mechanisms.Methods:Subjects with and without CVD were included (N = 398). Ery-apoB was measured on fresh whole blood samples using flow cytometry. Subjects with ery-apoB levels ≤0.20 a.u. were considered deficient. Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) was determined as a measure of (subclinical) atherosclerosis.Results:Mean ery-apoB value was 23.2% lower in subjects with increased CIMT (0.80±0.09 mm, N = 140) compared to subjects with a normal CIMT (0.57±0.08 mm, N = 258) (P = 0.007, adjusted P<0.001). CIMT and ery-apoB were inversely correlated (Spearman's r: -0.116, P = 0.021). A total of 55 subjects (13.6%) were considered ery-apoB deficient, which was associated with a medical history of CVD (OR: 1.86, 95% CI 1.04-3.33; adjusted OR: 1.55; 95% CI 0.85-2.82). Discontinuation of statins in 54 subjects did not influence ery-apoB values despite a 58.4% increase in serum apolipoprotein B. Subjects with blood group O had significantly higher ery-apoB values (1.56±0.94 a.u.) when compared to subjects with blood group A (0.89±1.15 a.u), blood group B (0.73±0.1.12 a.u.) or blood group AB (0.69±0.69 a.u.) (P-ANOVA = 0.002).Conclusion:Absence or very low values of ery-apoB are associated with clinical and subclinical atherosclerosis. While serum apolipoprotein B is not associated with ery-apoB, the ABO blood group seems to be a significant determinant

Discontinuation of statin therapy did not affect erythrocyte-bound apolipoprotein B (ery-apoB).

<p>Ery-apoB was measured in subjects using statins (N = 54) at baseline and after discontinuing statin therapy for 6 weeks. Individual ery-apoB levels remained fairly stable during the 6 weeks of follow-up since ery-apoB at baseline was strongly correlated to ery-apoB after discontinuing statin therapy for 6 weeks (Spearman r: 0.828; P<0.001).</p

The association between erythrocyte-bound apolipoprotein B (ery-apoB) and ABO blood group phenotypes.

<p>The prevalence of the ABO blood group phenotypes per tertile are shown (A). Tertiles are based upon ery-apoB. The first tertile represents the group with the lowest ery-apoB, whereas the third tertile represents the subjects with the highest ery-apoB. The prevalence of ABO blood group phenotypes was significantly different between the three groups (P = 0.002). Ery-apoB levels were almost two-fold increased in subjects with blood group O when compared to subjects with blood group A, B or AB (P-ANOVA <0.001) (B). *P<0.05 when compared to subjects with blood group A, B or AB.</p

Characteristics of a select group of subjects with measurements of erythrocyte-bound apolipoprotein B (ery-apoB) and ABO blood group phenotype.

<p>Subjects were divided according to ABO blood group phenotype.</p>*<p>Significantly different when compared to blood group O (P<0.05).</p>**<p>Significantly different when compared to blood group A (P<0.05).</p>***<p>Significantly different when compared to blood group A, B or AB (all P<0.05).</p

Characteristics of subjects based on carotid intima media thickness and on deficiency of ery-apoB (ery-apoB ≤0.20 a.u.) and ery-apoB sufficiency (ery-apoB >0.20 a.u.).

<p>Abbreviations: BMI  =  body mass index; CIMT  =  carotid intima media thickness.</p