Clearance of chylomicron remnants in normolipidaemic patients with coronary artery disease: case control study over three years.

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypothesis that subjects who clear chylomicron remnants slowly from plasma may be at higher risk of coronary artery disease than indicated by their fasting plasma lipid concentrations.

DESIGN

Case control study over three years.

SETTING

An 800 bed general municipal hospital.

SUBJECTS

85 normolipidaemic patients with coronary artery disease selected prospectively and matched with 85 normolipidaemic subjects with normal coronary arteries on angiography.

INTERVENTIONS

All subjects were given a vitamin A fat loading test which specifically labels intestinal lipoproteins with retinyl palmitate.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Postprandial lipoprotein metabolism.

RESULTS

The area below the chylomicron remnant retinyl palmitate curve was significantly increased in the coronary artery disease group as compared with the controls (mean 23.4 (SD 15.0) v 15.3 (8.9) mumol/l.h; 95% confidence interval of difference 4.37 to 11.82).

CONCLUSION

Normolipidaemic patients with coronary artery disease had significantly higher concentrations of chylomicron remnants in plasma than normolipidaemic subjects with normal coronary vessels. This may explain the mechanism underlying the susceptibility to atherosclerosis of coronary artery disease patients with normal fasting lipid values. As diet and drugs can ameliorate the accumulation of postprandial lipoproteins in plasma, the concentration of chylomicron remnants should be measured in patients at high risk of coronary artery disease.