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Increased plasma lipoprotein(a)-Lp(a)-levels are linked to a high risk of cardiovascular disease unrelated to other lipoproteins. It seems that Lp(a) values in childhood remain unaltered up to adulthood. In a randomly chosen population of 1970 children, aged from 4 to 18 years and living in a Spanish community, the following serum parameters were studied: total cholesterol, total triglycerides, Lp(a), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Mean Lp(a) serum values were 15.0 +/- 14.7 mg dl-1. No differences were seen between either sex in the first years of childhood. Of the studied children, 15.1% presented Lp(a) concentrations above 30 mg dl-1. A correlation between Lp(a) and total cholesterol concentrations, which disappeared when low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were corrected according to cholesterol present in Lp(a), was observed.

BACKGROUND: Higher cardiovascular risk has been largely described in rheumatoid arthritis as well as different effects of biologic agents in theses patients. The aim of present study is to analyze the effects of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) in the lipoprotein profile of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients using a broad laboratory assessment including a large number of no routine testsMETHODS: RA patients treated with and without TNFi were cross-sectionally compared regarding a broad spectrum of lipoprotein tests including serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL and VLDL cholesterol, lipoprotein A (LpA), apolipoprotein A1 (Apo A) and B100 (Apo B), HDL, LDL and VLDL proteins, triglycerides and phospholipids, HDL Apo A, LDL and VLDL Apo B and paraoxonase 1 (PON 1), HDL, LDL and VLDL masses and number of particles of LDL and VLDL. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the different variables were performedRESULTS: Patients on treatment with TNFi showed a trend to be younger and had a longer disease duration. Regarding to the lipoprotein analyses, borderline significant higher levels of serum Apo A were detected and an independent association with lower HDL mass, LDL triglyceride, VLDL cholesterol, VLDL Apo B, VLDL mass, number of VLDL cholesterol molecules and number of particles of VLDL was clearly observed.CONCLUSIONS: TNFi treatment was associated with beneficial atherogenic effects at the lipoprotein level especially centered in VLDL related parameters consistent with a reduction of the remnant atherogenic risk.

Purpose A high cardiovascular risk has been described in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA); the effects of different biological agents have also been described in these patients. The aim of the present study is to examine the effects of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) in the lipoprotein profile of RA patients using a broad laboratory assessment including a large number of non-routine tests. Patients and Methods RA patients treated with and without TNFi (70 patients in each group) were cross-sectionally compared regarding a broad spectrum of lipoprotein parameters including serum levels of total and HDL, LDL and VLDL cholesterol triglycerides, lipoprotein A (LpA), apolipoprotein A1 (Apo A), B100 (Apo B) and paroxonase. For each lipoprotein subfraction (HDL, LDL and VLDL), we assess specific concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids and proteins and total mass of each one. Additionally, HDL Apo A, LDL and VLDL Apo B concentrations and number of particles of LDL and VLDL were also determined. Exploratory univariate and multivariate analyses of the different variables were performed. Results Seventy patients in each subset were enrolled. Patients on treatment with TNFi showed a trend to be younger and to have a longer disease duration. Regarding the lipoprotein analyses, borderline significant higher levels of serum Apo A were detected and an independent association with lower HDL mass, LDL triglyceride, VLDL cholesterol, VLDL Apo B, VLDL mass, number of VLDL cholesterol molecules and number of particles of VLDL was clearly observed. Conclusion TNFi treatment was associated with beneficial atherogenic effects at the lipoprotein level especially centered in the VLDL-related parameters consistent with a reduction of the atherogenic risk.