Increased Plasma C-Reactive Protein in Familial Hypoalphalipoproteinemia

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Abstract
Background — HDL molecules have an established role in the regression processes of atherosclerosis as well as a putative role as antiinflammatory agents. Our study investigated whether familial hypoalphalipoproteinemia, a genetic form of dyslipidemia characterized by very low HDL levels, might be associated with increased inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein. Methods and Results — A total of 50 subjects with hypoalphalipoproteinemia (age, 53.1±16.7 years) were compared with 64 healthy controls (age, 51.9±12.4 years). Apart from significantly lower values of HDL cholesterol (30.2±4.0 versus 52.5±12.7 mg/dL, P P P P r = −0.44, P =0.0006) and apolipoprotein AI ( r = −0.45, P =0.0006) values. Conclusions — Elevation of C-reactive protein values in familial hypoalphalipoproteinemia, in the absence of signs and symptoms of local or systemic inflammation or systemic or recurrent disease, may suggest an upregulation of proinflammatory mechanisms, which is further exacerbated by the presence of coronary atherosclerotic disease.