Fatty acid analysis in serum of patients with elevated lipoprotein(a) and cardiovascular disease undergoing lipoprotein apheresis.

Background: Lipoprotein apheresis (LA) is an extracorporeal treatment that transiently reduces lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] by 60% and leads to an 80-92% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events. LA has a significant impact on lipid profile in serum of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Objective: To investigate the effects of LA on the composition of serum fatty acids (FAs), focusing on those which could have an impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Non-HDL-C/TG ratio indicates significant underestimation of calculated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) better than TG level: a study on the reliability of mathematical formulas used for LDL-C estimation.

Objectives: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is the main laboratory parameter used for the management of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to compare measured LDL-C with LDL-C as calculated by the Friedewald, Martin/Hopkins, Vujovic, and Sampson formulas with regard to triglyceride (TG), LDL-C and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C)/TG ratio.

Methods: The 1,209 calculated LDL-C results were compared with LDL-C measured using ultracentrifugation-precipitation (first study) and direct (second study) methods.