Nitrite plasma levels in normolipemic and hypercholesterolemic arteriopathics after vasoactive and lipid-lowering treatment.

BACKGROUND: The authors studied the plasmatic levels of nitrites, stable end-products of nitric oxide in arteriopathic patients before and after vasoactive and lipid-lowering treatment. METHODS: The series consisted of 63 subjects (mean age 64 +/- 9) suffering from peripheral arterial occlusive disease; 21 subjects with total cholesterol (TC) lower than 200 mg/dl were considered as normolipemic (group A); 24 subjects with TC ranging between 200 and 240 mg/dl were considered as mild hypercholesterolemic (group B); 18 subjects with TC higher than 240 mg/dl were consider as severe hypercholesterolemic (group C). All the patients were examined before and after 15 and 30 days of a vasoactive treatment (calciparine, aspirin, buflomedil and pentoxiphylline); group B after vasoactive and diet (NCEP phase 1) treatment and group C after vasoactive, diet and drug (simvastatin) treatment. Nitrite plasma levels were determined by the Gutman and Hollywood colorimetric method. RESULTS: In group A the basal value of nitrites was sharply (p < 0.05) lower than controls; after vasoactive treatment a significant increase (p < 0.05), was observed after 15 and 30 days; in group B the basal value was higher than controls; after 15 days a significant increase (p < 0.5) was noted, but a regression was found after 30 days. Also in group C the basal value of nitrites was higher (p < 0.05) than controls; after treatment significant changes were not found. CONCLUSIONS: The increase of nitrites in group A may be due to an improved endothelial function; this phenomenon, less appreciable in group B and no longer evident in group C may depend on the lipid-lowering treatment.

Plasma levels of E-selectin in normolipemic and hyperlipemic arteriopathic patients.

BACKGROUND: The authors studied the plasmatic levels of E-selectin in a group of normolipemic and hyperlipemic arteriopathic patients. METHODS: The series consisted of 73 subjects (53 male, 20 female, age 54 +/- 9) suffering from occlusive peripheral arteriopathy; 21 subjects with total cholesterol (TC) below 200 mg/dl were considered as normolipemics (group A), 24 subjects with TC between 200 and 240 mg/dl, mild hypercholesterolemics (group B), 18 with TC above 240 mg/dl, severe hypercholesterolemics (group C); 10 subjects had high triglyceride values (above 200 mg/dl), (group D); 12 normal controls were also considered. For each subject the determination of the E-selectin E-plasma levels was performed with an immunoenzymatic method (kit ELISA Amersham). RESULTS: In group A a value of E-s (4.03 +/- 0.37 ng/ml) statistically lower (p < 0.05) compared to normal controls (5.71 +/- 0.61 ng/ml) was found; in group B the E-s value (3.81 +/- 0.31 ng/ml) was slightly lower than that of group A; in group C the value of E-s was 3.53 +/- 0.23 ng/ml, statistically lower compared normal controls (p < 0.01) and to group A (p < 0.05); in group D the E-s value (3.24 +/- 0.23 ng/ml) was sharply reduced compared to controls (p < 0.01) and to groups A-B-C (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The reduction or E-selectin, was proportional to the magnitude of total cholesterol and triglycerides; the chronicity of the vasculopathy and the dyslipidemia may be responsible for an impaired biosynthetic endothelial function.

Nitrite plasma levels in normolipemic and hypercholesterolemic patients with peripheral occlusive arteriopathy.

BACKGROUND: The authors studied the nitrite plasma levels in a group of patients with peripheral obstructive arteriopathy. METHODS: The series consisted of 63 subjects (43 males, 20 females, mean age 64 +/- 9 years) suffering from peripheral arterial occlusive disease of the lower limbs, at II (55 cases) and III (8 cases) Fontaine stage; 21 subjects with total cholesterol (TC) lower than 200 mg/dl were considered as normolipemics, 24 subjects with TC values between 200 and 240 as mild hypercholesterolemics, 18 subjects with TC above 240 mg/dl as severe hypercholesterolemics. For each subject the determination of nitrite plasma levels was carried out, by the Gutman and Hollywood colorimetric method. RESULTS: In the normolipemic arteriopathics the basal value of nitrites was sharply reduced (p < 0.05) compared to the controls; in the mild hypercholesterolemics the mean basal value of nitrites was markedly higher compared to the controls; in the severe hypercholesterolemics the mean basal value of nitrites was statistically (p < 0.05) higher than that of the controls. In the arteriopathic patients, globally considered, the mean basal value of nitrites was superimposable on that of the normal control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: This study, carried out on the nitrite plasma levels in a group of arteriopathic patients allowed us to show the enhanced levels of nitric oxide due to the increase of LDL; this effect, previously observed in hypercholesterolemic diabetic and coronaropathic patients, leads us to the hypothesis of a stimulating effect of LDL upon NO endothelial synthesis; this would be a compensatory response to the damaging and vasoconstricting action of LDL.