Study of plasma lipids, lipoproteins and lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase activity in nephrotic syndrome

ABSTRACT

Thirty subjects were included in this study and divided into 2 groups, control [n = 10] and nephrotic [n = 20] group, which further subdivided into 2 subgroups, severe [n = 8, serum albumin below 2 g/dl] and less severe [n = 12, serum albumin above 2 g/dl] nephrotic subgroup. The estimation of plasma level of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol [HDL-C], low density lipoprotein-cholesterol [LDL-C], triglycerides; total cholesterol [TC], free cholesterol [FC], esterified cholesterol [EC], Lecithin cholestero acyl transferase [LCAT] activity, Apolipoprotein-A[1] [APo-A[1]] and other routine investigation were done for all subjects. This study aimed at elucidating the possible changes in LCAT activity, associated with nephrotic syndrome and to find out its relation with plasma lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities in a trial to identify which type of patients are more liable to atherosclerosis. A significant decrease in plasma LCAT activity, APo-A, HDL-C and EC/TC ratio were detected in nephrotic as compared with control group and in severe as compared with less severe nephrotic subgroup. Also, plasma TC, FC, Triglycerides and LDL-C in nephrotic group were significantly higher than control group and FC/TC ratio was higher in severe as compared with less severe nephrotic subgroup. We conclude that low HDL-C and its APo-A[1] level along with. low LCAT activity may uncover the protection of nephrotic patients against enhanced atherogenesis and the low serum albumin level as well as the higher FC/TC ratio may predict the patients more prone to atherogenesis