Correlation between Serum Level of Adiponectin and Severity of Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis

Objectives To investigate the correlation between serum level of adiponectin and severity of coronary artery atherosclerosis. Methods Coronary angiographies were performed and serum levels of adiponectin were measured in 88 patients with suspected coronary heart disease （CHD）. Patients were divided into groups according to the coronary angiographies and Gensini＇s scores of coronary artery atherosclerosis. The serum levels of adiponectin were compared in different groups, and multiple regressions were used to analyze the correlation factors of adiponectin. Results （1）Serum adiponectin concentration in CHD group [ 7. 1 mg/L （2.4 - 21.1 mg/L） ] was decreased as compared with that in control group [ 11.6 mg/L （4.4 - 28.2 mg/L ）, P 〈 0. 01 ] ; （2）The serum levels of adiponectin fell while the Gensini＇ s scores of coronary artery atherosclerosis increased （P 〈 0. 05, P 〈 0. 01 ） ; （3）Serum level of adiponectin was positively correlated with the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, while negatively correlated with the Gensini＇ s score of coronary artery atherosclerosis and triglyceride （P 〈 0. 01 ）. Conclusions Serum adiponectin concentration was decreased in patients with CHD. Low serum levels of adiponectin reflected the severity of coronary artery atherosclerosis. Adiponectin was a protective factor of cardiovascular system.

INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND IMAGING OF ANGIOGRAPHICALLY "SILENT" LEFT MAIN CORONARY ARTERY ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Patients with left main coronary artery (LMCA) atherosclerosis have a poor prognosis compared with lesions in the other coronaries. Because of the methodological problems. LMCA atherosclerotic lesions are not frequently detected by coronary angiography. The purpose of the study was to reveal the existence of LMCA disease in patients with normal coronary arteries by using intravascular ultrasound imaging. Ninety-seven patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries were examined with a 3.5 F or 4.8 F. 20 MHz intravascular ultrasound catheter. The vessel, lumen and plaque areas were determined and percent area and diameter stenosis were calculated. Plaque formation with or without calcific deposits identified by ultrasound accoustic shadowing were regarded as signs of atherosclerosis.

Oxidized phospholipids and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A_2 as important determinants of Lp(a) functionality and pathophysiological role

Lipoprotein（a） [Lp（a）] is composed of a low density lipoprotein（LDL）-like particle to which apolipoprotein（a）[apo（a）] is linked by a single disulfide bridge. Lp（a） is considered a causal risk factor for ischemic cardiovascular disease（CVD） and calcific aortic valve stenosis（CAVS）. The evidence for a causal role of Lp（a） in CVD and CAVS is based on data from large epidemiological databases, mendelian randomization studies, and genome-wide association studies. Despite the well-established role of Lp（a） as a causal risk factor for CVD and CAVS, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. A key role in the Lp（a） functionality may be played by its oxidized phospholipids（OxPL） content. Importantly, most of circulating OxPL are associated with Lp（a）; however, the underlying mechanisms leading to this preferential sequestration of OxPL on Lp（a） over the other lipoproteins,are mostly unknown. Several studies support the hypothesis that the risk of Lp（a） is primarily driven by its OxPL content.An important role in Lp（a） functionality may be played by the lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A_2（Lp-PLA_2）,an enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of OxPL and is bound to plasma lipoproteins including Lp（a）. The present review article discusses new data on the pathophysiological role of Lp（a） and particularly focuses on the functional role of OxPL and Lp-PLA_2 associated with Lp（a）.