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Leptospirosis is Associated with Markedly Increased Triglycerides and Small Dense Low-Density Lipoprotein and Decreased High-Density Lipoprotein

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Lipids

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of acute infection with Leptospira interrogans on lipids, lipoproteins and associated enzymes. Fasting serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), apolipoproteins (apo) A-Ι, B, E, C-II, C-III and lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] were determined in patients with Leptospirosis on diagnosis and 4 months after recovery as well as in age- and sex-matched controls. Activities of cholesteryl-ester transfer protein (CETP) and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) as well as paraoxonase 1 (PON1) hydrolysing activity and levels of cytokines were determined. LDL subclass analysis was performed with Lipoprint LDL System. Eleven patients (10 men, mean age 49.5 ± 8.4 years) and 11 controls were included. TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, apoA-I, apoB and Lp(a) levels were lower at baseline, whereas TG and apoE levels were elevated compared with 4 months later. At baseline, higher levels of cytokines and cholesterol concentration of small dense LDL particles (sdLDL-C) were noticed, whereas LDL particle size was lower compared with follow-up. Activities of plasma Lp-PLA2 and HDL-associated Lp-PLA2 were lower at baseline compared with post treatment values, whereas PON1 activity was similar at baseline and 4 months later. 4 months after recovery, the levels of all lipid parameters evaluated did not differ compared with controls, except for HDL-C which remained lower. PON1 activity both at baseline and 4 months later was lower in patients compared with controls. Leptospirosis is associated with atherogenic changes of lipids, lipoproteins and associated enzymes.

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Abbreviations

CMV:

Cytomegalovirus

HSV:

Herpes simplex virus

HIV:

Human immunodeficiency virus

sdLDL:

Small dense LDL

EBV:

Epstein-Barr virus

sdLDL-C:

sdLDL cholesterol

Lp-PLA2 :

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2

PON1:

Paraoxonase 1

CETP:

Cholesteryl-ester transfer protein

HDL-C:

HDL cholesterol

TSH:

Thyroid-stimulating hormone

TC:

Total cholesterol

TG:

Triglycerides

LDL-C:

LDL cholesterol

Apo:

Apolipoprotein

Lp(a):

Lipoprotein (a)

IL:

Interleukin

TNFα:

Tumor necrosis factor α

CVs:

Coefficient variates

VLDL-C:

VLDL cholesterol

sdLDL%:

Proportion of cholesterol on sdLDL particles

CRP:

C-reactive protein

APR:

Acute-phase response

SAA:

Serum amyloid A

LPL:

Lipoprotein lipase

EL:

Endothelial lipase

LCAT:

Lecithin:cholesterol acyltranferase

ARF:

Acute renal failure

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, 451 10, Ioannina, Greece

    Irene F. Gazi, Fotini A. Apostolou, Evangelos N. Liberopoulos, Theodosios D. Filippatos & Moses S. Elisaf

  2. Laboratory of Biochemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece

    Constantinos C. Tellis & Alexandros D. Tselepis

Authors
  1. Irene F. Gazi
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  2. Fotini A. Apostolou
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  3. Evangelos N. Liberopoulos
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  4. Theodosios D. Filippatos
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  5. Constantinos C. Tellis
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  6. Moses S. Elisaf
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  7. Alexandros D. Tselepis
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Correspondence to Moses S. Elisaf.

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Gazi, I.F., Apostolou, F.A., Liberopoulos, E.N. et al. Leptospirosis is Associated with Markedly Increased Triglycerides and Small Dense Low-Density Lipoprotein and Decreased High-Density Lipoprotein. Lipids 46, 953–960 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-011-3580-y

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