Background: It is well known that high total and LDL cholesterol
concentrations are not prerequisites for ischemic heart disease. This study aimed to
differentiate between patients with coronary heart symptoms and healthy subjects with
high cholesterol concentrations, using other potential risk factors such as oxidation
state, body iron status and the oxidative state of the LDL particle.
Methods: Healthy persons were divided in low cholesterol (<6 mmol/L)
(LC) and high cholesterol (≥6 mmol/L) (HC) groups. An additional group consisted of
patients with symptoms of coronary heart disease (P). The lipid profile, body iron
status, plasma antioxidants and LDL oxidation status were measured.
Results: No significant differences could be observed between the LC and
HC groups or between the lipid profiles, plasma antioxidants and parameters of body
iron status of the HC and patient groups. Some parameters measured on isolated LDL
differed between the HC and patient groups, such as LDL oxidative potential (134.47
vs 93.70 min) and LDL μ-tocopherol (21.83 vs
11.73 μmol/mmol cholesterol).
Conclusion: The oxidative state of the LDL particle discriminated
between patients with symptoms of coronary heart disease and hypercholesterolaemic
persons without symptoms of coronary heart disease.
