Oxidized high-density lipoprotein is associated with increased plasma glucose in non-diabetic dyslipidemic subjects.

BACKGROUND

Oxidized high-density lipoprotein (oxHDL) has reduced capacity for cholesterol efflux and some of other anti-atherogenic properties of HDL, but the role of oxHDL in the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic disease has not been fully demonstrated. This study investigated the association of oxHDL with plasma glucose (PG) and the other atherosclerotic risk variables in non-diabetic dyslipidemic subjects.

METHODS

Conventional atherosclerotic markers and LDL particle size (LDL-PS), as determined by gel electrophoresis, were measured in 155 non-diabetic subjects (mean age of 57 years) with dyslipidemia. Serum oxHDL levels were quantified using an antibody against oxidized human apoA-I in a sandwich ELISA format.

RESULTS

Multiple regression analysis adjusted for possible confounders revealed that HDL-cholesterol was independently, significantly and positively correlated with LDL-PS and oxHDL. By multiple regression analysis, oxHDL was independently, significantly and positively correlated with fasting PG (β=0.19, P=0.01). Subjects in the highest PG tertile group had approximately 30% higher oxHDL levels than the lowest PG tertile group.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that high PG levels may contribute to the HDL oxidation, irrespective of HDL-cholesterol levels, even in non-diabetic subjects with dyslipidemia, and that the measurement of oxHDL may be a useful marker of dysfunctional HDL.