Persistence of an atherogenic lipid profile after treatment of acute infection with brucella

• Published in: Journal of lipid research 2009-12, Vol.50 (12), p.2532-2539
• Main Authors: Apostolou, F., Gazi, I.F., Kostoula, A., Tellis, C.C., Tselepis, A.D., Elisaf, M., Liberopoulos, E.N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Administration, Oral; Atherosclerosis - blood; Brucella melitensis - drug effects; Brucella melitensis - physiology; Brucellosis - blood; Brucellosis - diagnosis; Brucellosis - drug therapy; Brucellosis - microbiology; Case-Control Studies; cholesterol ester transfer protein; cytokines; Doxycycline - administration & dosage; Doxycycline - pharmacology; Doxycycline - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Lipids - blood; lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2; Male; Middle Aged; oxidized low density lipoprotein; paraoxonase 1; Patient-Oriented and Epidemiological Research; Rifampin - administration & dosage; Rifampin - pharmacology; Rifampin - therapeutic use; small dense low density lipoprotein
• ISSN: 0022-2275; 1539-7262
• DOI: 10.1194/jlr.P900063-JLR200

Serum lipid changes during infection may be associated with atherogenesis. No data are available on the effect of Brucellosis on lipids. Lipid parameters were determined in 28 patients with Brucellosis on admission and 4 months following treatment and were compared with 24 matched controls. Fasting levels of total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, apolipoproteins (Apo) A, B, E CII, and CIII, and oxidized LDL (oxLDL) were measured. Activities of serum cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP), paraoxonase 1 (PON1), and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and levels of cytokines [interleukins (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNFa)] were also determined. On admission, patients compared with controls had 1) lower levels of TC, HDL-C, LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), ApoB, ApoAI, and ApoCIII and higher LDL-C/HDL-C and ApoB/ApoAI ratios; 2) higher levels of IL-1b, IL-6, and TNFa; 3) similar ApoCII and oxLDL levels and Lp-PLA2 activity, lower PON1, and higher CETP activity; and 4) higher small dense LDL-C concentration. Four months later, increases in TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, ApoB, ApoAI, and ApoCIII levels, ApoB/ApoAI ratio, and PON1 activity were noticed compared with baseline, whereas CETP activity decreased. LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, ApoCII, and oxLDL levels, Lp-PLA2 activity, and small dense LDL-C concentration were not altered. Brucella infection is associated with an atherogenic lipid profile that is not fully restored 4 months following treatment.