Alterations in lipid transfers to HDL associated with the presence of coronary artery disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: We previously showed that unesterified-cholesterol transfer to high-density lipoprotein (HDL), a crucial step in cholesterol esterification and role in reverse cholesterol transport, was diminished in non-diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim was to investigate whether, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the occurrence of CAD was also associated with alterations in lipid transfers and other parameters of plasma lipid metabolism. METHODS: Seventy-nine T2DM with CAD and 76 T2DM without CAD, confirmed by cineangiography, paired for sex, age (40-80 years), BMI and without statin use, were studied. In vitro transfer of four lipids to HDL was performed by incubating plasma of each patient with a donor emulsion containing radioactive lipids during 1 h at 37 °C. Lipids transferred to HDL were measured after chemical precipitation of non-HDL fractions and the emulsion. Results are expressed as % of total radioactivity of each lipid in HDL. RESULTS: In T2DM + CAD, LDL-cholesterol and apo B were higher than in T2DM. T2DM + CAD also showed diminished transfer to HDL of unesterified cholesterol (T2DM + CAD = 7.6 ± 1.2; T2DM = 8.2 ± 1.5%, p < 0.01) and of cholesteryl-esters (4.0 ± 0.6 vs 4.3 ± 0.7, p < 0.01). Unesterified cholesterol in the non-HDL serum fraction was higher in T2DM + CAD (0.93 ± 0.20 vs 0.85 ± 0.15, p = 0.02) and CETP concentration was diminished (2.1 ± 1.0 vs 2.5 ± 1.1, p = 0.02). Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activity, HDL size and lipid composition were equal. CONCLUSION: Reduction in T2DM + CAD of cholesterol transfer to HDL may impair cholesterol esterification and reverse cholesterol transport and altogether with simultaneous increased plasma unesterified cholesterol may facilitate CAD development in T2DM.

Resolution of coronary arteritis following tuberculosis treatment.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) in an uncommon condition usually associated with atherosclerosis, but systemic vasculitides constitute important differential diagnoses. A less recognized cause of CAA, tuberculosis (TB) has also been noted to occur simultaneously in patients with such vascular abnormalities. CASE REPORT: A 60-year-old female presented to the Emergency Department with a non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. Angiography demonstrated segmental aneurysms of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Shortly after, she was also diagnosed with cutaneous TB, and treatment was promptly initiated. Reevaluation conducted several months later demonstrated that levels of inflammation markers had significantly decreased. New catheterization of coronary arteries evidenced complete resolution of coronary aneurysm images. CONCLUSION: Due to the clinical and radiologic resolution with only TB treatment, as well as lack of evidence supporting atherosclerotic or vasculitic etiologies, TB can be considered a possible contributor to aneurysm formation in this case. Prospective studies are necessary to reliably demonstrate causality between TB infection and CAA.