Cardiac and vascular structure and function are related to lipid peroxidation and metabolism.

The present study investigated possible relationships between left ventricular mass, intima-media thickness of the carotid artery (IMT), total arterial compliance, and lipid status in a population sample of 58 apparently healthy subjects aged 20 to 69. By stepwise multiple regression analysis, including age, blood pressure, and smoking, left ventricular mass index, measured by M-mode echocardiography, increased by 13.0 g/m2 for each 1 standard deviation (SD = 0.11 microM, r = 0.60, P< 0.01) increase in plasma malondialdehyde and 9.50 g/m2 per SD increase in plasma 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha in women only (SD = 8.88 ng/L, r = 0.44, P = 0.01). Each 1-SD (SD = 0.27 g/L) increase in apolipoprotein B was associated with a 63 microm increase in IMT (r = 0.47, P = 0.014) and a 0.27 mL/min/m2/mm Hg (r = -0.60, P < 0.01) decrease in stroke index/pulse pressure ratio, reflecting total arterial compliance in women. In men, each 1-SD increase in the proportion of stearic acid (18:0) in serum cholesterol esters (SD = 0.12 percent units) reduced the transmitral E/A ratio, measured by Doppler echocardiography, reflecting left ventricular diastolic function, by 0.10 units (r = -0.29, P < 0.05). Thus, important cardiovascular characteristics, such as left ventricular mass, left ventricular diastolic function, carotid IMT, and total arterial compliance, were independently predicted by indices of lipid metabolism and peroxidation in apparently healthy subjects.