Indicadores de riesgo de ateroesclerosis. Evaluación mediante coronariografía en hombres no diabéticos con colesterol total igual o menor a 240 mg/dl.

We studied 90 male non diabetic patients aged between 40 and 65 years old with a total cholesterol of less than 240 mg/dl and not receiving cholesterol reducing drugs, that were subjected to elective coronary arteriography. Weight, height, blood pressure and smoking habits were recorded and a fasting blood sample was drawn to measure total and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, apoproteins A1 and B, Lipoprotein(a) and plasma cholesteryl ester transfer activity. Arteriography disclosed coronary lesions in 54 patients. Compared to patients without lesions, the former had lower HDL cholesterol (34 +/- 9.8 vs 40.2 +/- 11.6 mg/dl) and higher total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol and apoB/apoA1 ratios. No differences were found for lipoprotein(a) and plasma cholesteryl ester transfer activity. Univariate analysis showed that low HDL cholesterol had the best predictive capacity for atherosclerosis.