Circulating oxidized LDL is associated with parameters of the metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women

Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL) play a significant role in the development of atherosclerosis. Objective: To investigate the relation between circulating ox-LDL and components of the metabolic syndrome (NIS) in a sample of 124 postmenopausal women with varying glucose tolerance status. Methods: This cross-sectional study included postmenopausal women not using hormone therapy. Ox-LDL concentrations were measured in plasma by a monoclonal antibody (mAb-4E6) based competition ELISA. LDL peak particle diameter (LDL-PPD) was measured by nondenaturating polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis (PAGGE). Presence of the NIS was determined according to the definition of the NCEP-ATPIII. Results: Circulating ox-LDL concentrations were significantly associated with some factors of the NIS such as trialyceride (r=0.48; p < 0.0001), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r= -0.34;p = 0.0001) and fasting plasma glucose concentrations (r= 0.21;p = 0.02). Ox-LDL concentrations were also associated with LDL cholesterol (r=0.54;p < 0.0001), total cholesterol (r=0.48;p < 0.0001), LDLapolipoprotein B (r=0.62;p < 0.0001) and LDL-PPD (r = -0.18;p < 0.05). Moreover, women with the MS had significantly higher ox-LDL concentrations (79.5 +/- 28.3 U/I) compared to women without the MS (64.2 +/- 19.9 U/I) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Ox-LDL concentrations are associated with individual components of the MS and are significantly higher in postmenopausal women with MS compared to healthy postmenopausal women. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.