Low HDL-C predicts the onset of transplant vasculopathy in pediatric cardiac recipients on pravastatin therapy.

The levels and protein/lipid compositions of major lipoprotein particles of 19 pediatric cardiac transplant recipients (4-18 yr of age) were studied in this prospective, open clinical follow-up study before and at one yr of pravastatin therapy (10 mg/day). The recipients were grouped into those with (n = 6; group A) and those without (n = 13; group B) angiographically detectable vasculopathy. Twenty-one pediatric non-transplant controls were studied at baseline.

Dietary determinants of serum paraoxonase activity in healthy humans.

The associations between habitual diet and a variety of markers of lipid peroxidation or oxidative stress in a group of 95 healthy comparatively young Finnish volunteers (24 male and 71 females) were investigated. The habitual diet of the subjects was evaluated with a 3-day food record. The following biochemical parameters related to lipid peroxidation or oxidative stress were measured: lagtime of Cu2+ induced LDL oxidation in vitro, lipid hydroperoxides and Schiff bases produced during the LDL oxidation test, malondialdehyde measured as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances from native LDL and Cu2+ oxidized LDL, serum paraoxonase (PON) activity.