[Biochemical risk factor for atherosclerosis in young men. Preliminary report]

Atherosclerotic damage of cardiovascular system, including kidneys, is an increasing problem not only in the modern cardiology but also in nephrology and dialysotherapy. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the frequency of particular biochemical risk factors for atherosclerosis (RFfA) in young men being over-pressed with psychological stress because of decisive character of their professional job. There were 68 men in mean age 33.3 +/- 7.4 years, being employed in the state administration for mean 10.9 +/- 7.5 years. On the basis of the results of environmental questionnaire the studied group was divided into two subgroups: subgroup A "passive" (30 persons) which was physically passive (employed in the administration) and subgroup B "active" (38 persons) whose professional job was connected with physical activity. The following biochemical RFfA in the blood were examined: cholesterol and its fractions, triglycerides, urea acid, glucose, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, homocysteine and antibodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae. The results were as follows: total cholesterol above 200 mg/dl in 63%, LDL cholesterol above 130 mg/dl in 60% and HDL cholesterol below 50 mg/dl in 31% of men. Among "new" RFfA we found "cardiological" (above 0.2 mg/dl) levels of CRP almost in 25% of the whole group. There were no statistically significant differences with respect to the studied RFfA between "active" and "passive" group. On the basis of these preliminary results we presume, that potentially healthy men over-pressed with psychological stress because of decisive character of their professional job, are characterized--independently on the proclaimed physical activity--by high frequency of risk factors for premature atherosclerosis.