Plasma lipids and plasma apolipoproteins in nephrotic patients

ABSTRACT

Ten euthyroid, non diabetic, non uremic nephrotic patients with normal liverandninenormalcontrols were investigated for serum apolipoproteins and serum lipid pattern. Age of both groups did not differ significantly.Nephrotic patients had a significantly higher total serum lipids [P<0.01], serum triglycerides [P<0.05] and serum cholesterol [P<0.01] than normal controls HDL cholesterol of patients did not differ significantly from controls [patients 65.95+ and - 36.3, controls61.5+ and - 29.4 mg/dl] VLDL cholesterol of patients was significantly [P<0.05] lower than controls [patients 150.4+ and - 173.1, controls20.2+ and - 9.3 mg/dk].LDL cholesterol of patients was significantly higher [P< 0.01] than controls [patients 329.2 + and - 192.9, control 109.2+ and - 26.2 mg/dl]. Patients apolipoprotein A ranged between 19.2 - 197.6 mg/dl [with a mean of 97 + and - 52.5 mg.dl] which was significantly lower than controls [which ranged between 117.6-248 mg/dl with a mean of 176.4+ and - 52.8 mg /dl].Apolipoprotein B of nephrotic patients ranged between 102-124.6 mg.dl [with a mean of 112.2+ and -6.68 mg/dl] which was significantly higher [P<0.001] than that of controls [which ranged between 8-94.2 mg/dl with a mean of 58.5+ and - 26.3 mg/dl]. So nephrotic patients have a lower level of Apo. A and a higher level of Apo.B. Low Apo.A may be due to increased production with no loss urine with HDL. The high Apo. B may be due to increased production with no loss in urine. Hence Nephrotic patients are at high risk of atherosclerosis because of increase Apo.B and low Apo.A