Double pre-beta lipoprotein in ischaemic heart disease

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Clinical Chemistry
• Genetics

Background:

• Lipoprotein abnormalities are associated with cardiovascular disease.
• The significance of a double pre-beta lipoprotein peak (pre-beta 1+) in myocardial infarction (MI) risk is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the presence of a double pre-beta lipoprotein peak and myocardial infarction.
• To examine the inheritance pattern of the pre-beta 1+ phenotype in families of MI survivors.

Main Methods:

• Agarose gel electrophoresis was used to identify the presence or absence of a pre-beta 1+ peak.
• The study included 77 MI survivors, their first-degree relatives, and 148 controls.
• Fasting serum lipid levels (cholesterol and triglycerides) were analyzed in control subjects.

Main Results:

• Thirty-nine percent of MI survivors had the pre-beta 1+ peak, compared to 24% of controls (P < 0.05).
• The inheritance pattern of the pre-beta 1+ peak in families suggested autosomal dominant inheritance.
• No significant differences in fasting cholesterol or triglyceride levels were observed between pre-beta 1+ and pre-beta 1- subjects in the control group.

Conclusions:

• The presence of a double pre-beta lipoprotein peak is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction.
• The pre-beta 1+ phenotype may represent a genetic predisposition to cardiovascular disease.