Circulating oxidized LDL is associated with parameters of the metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women

Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL) play a significant role in the development of atherosclerosis.

To investigate the relation between circulating ox-LDL and components of the metabolic syndrome (MS) in a sample of 124 postmenopausal women with varying glucose tolerance status.

This cross-sectional study included postmenopausal women not using hormone therapy. Ox-LDL concentrations were measured in plasma by a monoclonal antibody (mAb-4E6) based competition ELISA. LDL peak particle diameter (LDL-PPD) was measured by non-denaturating polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis (PAGGE). Presence of the MS was determined according to the definition of the NCEP-ATPIII.

Circulating ox-LDL concentrations were significantly associated with some factors of the MS such as triglyceride (r=0.48; p<0.0001), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r=-0.34; p=0.0001) and fasting plasma glucose concentrations (r=0.21; p=0.02). Ox-LDL concentrations were also associated with LDL cholesterol (r=0.54; p<0.0001), total cholesterol (r=0.48; p<0.0001), LDL apolipoprotein B (r=0.62; p<0.0001) and LDL-PPD (r=-0.18; p<0.05). Moreover, women with the MS had significantly higher ox-LDL concentrations (79.5+/-28.3 U/l) compared to women without the MS (64.2+/-19.9 U/l) (p<0.05).

Ox-LDL concentrations are associated with individual components of the MS and are significantly higher in postmenopausal women with MS compared to healthy postmenopausal women.