Prevalence of LDL atherogenic phenotype in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Background: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are 5-8 times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than the general population. The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of the small dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol particle in patients with SLE. Methods: We recruited 50 consecutive patients with SLE who had no evidence of hypertension or renal failure. Fifty age-and gender-matched healthy controls were also recruited. We measured serum lipid levels and LDL particle diameters by gradient gel electrophoresis in both patients and controls. Results: Patients with SLE had significant dyslipidemia, characterized by elevated plasma triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, Apoprotein B, triglyceride: high-density (HDL) lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, and decreased plasma concentrations of HDL cholesterol. The LDL particle size in SLE (24.8 +/- 1.23 nm) was significantly (P < 0.01) smaller than that in controls (26.1 +/- 1.31 nm). The prevalence of the LDL phenotype B (the atherogenic phenotype) was 52% in SLE but only 20% in healthy controls. Conclusion: We conclude that the high prevalence of small dense LDL in SLE may contribute to the high incidence of coronary heart disease seen in this disorder.