Prothrombotic markers in familial combined hyperlipidemia: evidence of endothelial cell activation and relation to metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL) is characterized by a varied expression of hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia within a family, and a high risk of premature coronary artery disease. The present study evaluated a number of potential prothrombotic markers in familial combined hyperlipidemia, and studied their relationship to the hypercholesterolemic (Fredrickson type IIa) and hypertriglyceridemic (IIb and IV) phenotypes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Selected prothrombotic markers were studied in 68 subjects: 34 hyperlipidemic subjects with familial combined hyperlipidemia and 34 controls. FCHL patients exhibited significantly higher Thrombin-Antithrombin complex (TAT), activated coagulation factor XII (F XIIa), von Willebrand Factor (vWF), Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and tissue derived Plasminogen Activator (t-PA) values in comparison to controls. Within the subgroup of familial combined hyperlipidemia subjects, elevated PAI-1 activity and soluble Thrombomodulin levels were particularly associated with features of the metabolic syndrome, including hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia and predominance of small dense low density lipoprotein (LDL). CONCLUSIONS: A general pattern of activated blood coagulation and endothelial activation is present in all hyperlipidemic subjects studied, independent of metabolic phenotype. In those familial combined hyperlipidemia subjects with features of the metabolic syndrome, impaired fibrinolysis can provide an additional cardiovascular risk factor.