Physical activity, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol subfractions and lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase in dialysis patients.

Background/aims: Although a low level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic heart disease, the mechanism of HDL-C abnormality in hemodialysis (HD) as well as peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of physical activity with HDL-C subfractions and lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase activity in HD and PD patients.

Methods: Thirty-five HD and 26 PD patients were studied. Physical activity was estimated as the average number of steps taken per day over 7 days (steps/day).

Results: When possible confounding factors were included in the stepwise multiple regression analyses, in HD patients, steps/day was significantly positively related to HDL(2)-C and apolipoprotein (Apo) A-I, while it was significantly positively related to HDL(3)-C in PD patients. When subjects were subdivided into 3 groups according to steps/day, in HD patients, the highest category of steps/day had significantly higher HDL(2)-C and Apo A-I than the lowest category, while such results were not observed in PD patients.

Conclusion: These results suggest that the associations of physical activity with HDL-C subfractions and Apo A-I that are known in the general population are more pronounced in HD patients than PD patients.