Background: Atherosclerotic Carotid Artery Disease (CAD) is a frequent cause of mortality worldwide. The discovery of biomarkers that evidenced CAD progression would help with cardiovascular risk reduction. Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been associated with plaque progression, lesion aggravation, and rupture. Objective: This study evaluated that MMPs serum optical-densities and digestive gel-activity are associated with CAD. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated 65 outpatients presenting CAD (n=31) or not (n=34). The Carotid disease was evidenced by Doppler echography. ELISA and SDS-PAGE zymography were performed to determine MMPs serum optical-densities and proteolytic-activity. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to identify the most relevant MMPs (MMP-1, 2, 8, 9 and 12). Results: MMP-2 and MMP-9 showed lower serum optical-densities in CAD (MMP-2, p = 0.0246; and MMP-9, p < 0.0001), but higher digestive enzymatic activity when compared to non-CAD samples (p < 0.0001). PCA analysis strengthens the singling out of those individual MMPs as predictors of choice to differentiate CAD from non-CAD patients as opposed to others MMPs. Analysis of the loadings showed MMP-2 and MMP-9 as the most important independent variables to separate CAD from non-CAD patients. Conclusion: MMP-2 and MMP-9 are more relevant biomarkers for CAD than the other MMPs analyzed.

End stage-renal-disease (ESRD) is associated with dyslipidemia and premature atherosclerosis. The study evaluates the effect of hemodialysis (HD) on HDL-remodeling between pre-and post-HD. Was conducted a cross-sectional study with 50 ESRD male patients, undergoing HD at Ana Neri Hospital, Salvador, Brazil. All individuals were on HD for at least 3 months, into a three sessions protocol for 3 -4 hours per week, with a polysulfone low-flow basicdialyzing-membrane and unfractionated-heparin. HDL Phospholipid-incorporation was measured by 14 C-PL-scintillation-counting, expressed as % 14 C-PL/mL/hour. Paraoxonase (PON-1) activity was measured by spectrophotometry using paraoxon as substrate. Cardiovascular risk ratios and atherogenic index of plasma were calculated. Total cholesterol, HDL-C and non-HDL-C increased at post-HD on all age groups, but without triglycerides (TG) changes. TG/HDL-C decreased in 30 -39 and 40 -49 year (y) at post-HD (p < 0.05). LDL-C/apoB increased in >60 y, after HD (p < 0.05). HDL-C/apo-AI increased in 40 -49 y (p < 0. C-PL-incorporation was reduced in >60 y (p < 0.05), when compared to pre-and post-HD. ESRD patients undergoing HD shows important changes on lipid-profile, PON-1-activity, cardiac risk ratios and HDL-remodeling. These results demonstrate the influence of HD with a polysulfone low-flow basic-dialyzing-membrane and unfractionated-heparin on lipoprotein metabolism.