LIPOPOLYSACHARIDE BINDING PROTEIN (LBP) AS A MARKER OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS IMPROVED BY THERAPEUTICAL INTERVENTION IN END STAGE RENAL DISEASE PATIENTS

Background: LBP represents a link between cardiovascular disease and chronic inflammation caused by endotoxin producing microorganisms. It is a member of cellular signaling pathways of specific host immune/inflammatory responses to atherogenesis.
Aim: End stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are well known to suffer greatly from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) caused by excessive atherosclerosis. We measured LBP in ESRD patients after intervention to improve their general status.
Methods: 97 patients were studied. Among them were 43 patients with ESRD (63.9 ± 12.7 y, 21 women, 22 men) on chronic hemodialysis without any apparent acute disease or infection. The controls were 54 healthy individuals (33 men and 21 women, 36.7 ± 9.5 y) without any CVD or atherosclerotic risk factors. The 3 months intervention consisted in improving the performance of dialysis or sanation of chronic infective foci. Results: The serum LBP in ESRD vs. controls was significantly higher (13.88 ± 6.32 vs. 4.94 ± 3.2 ug/ml, p<0.001), and significantly decreased after the intervention (5.32 ± 3.2 ug/ml, p<0.001). There was no significant change in CRP (before /after intervention 6.26 ± 3.37/ 7.17 ± 4.12 mg/l) nor serum lipoproteins (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, TAG). We found no significant correlation between LBP and CRP or any of the serum lipoproteins.
Conclusion: Therapeutical intervention in ESRD patients with CVD and low-level chronic inflammation might improve the course of atherosclerosis marked by serum LBP.

Supported by research projects MSM 0021620820, MSM 0021620819, IGA MH CR NR/9259-3.