Plasma lipid profile and coronary artery disease in Brazilian hemodialysis patients

We studied the prevalence of lipid disorders and of coronary artery disease and the main factors affecting plasma lipids in a cohort of Brazilian hemodialysis patients. The investigation comprised 75 adult hemodialysis patients and 200 normal controls matched for age, sex, race and body mass index. Mean values for plasma lipids were within normal limits in the dialysis group. Total cholesterol (184 ± 44 vs. 201 ± 46 mg/dl), LDL (110 ± 36 vs. 131 ± 44 mg/dl) and HDL (40 ± 13 vs. 47 ± 12 mg/dl) were significantly lower in the dialysis patients (P < 0.01), whereas VLDL (32 ± 14 vs. 21 ± 12 mg/dl) and triglyceride (161 ± 71 vs. 111 ± 70 mg/dl) were increased (P < 0.01). Increased triglyceride was observed in 24% of the dialysis patients, a prevalence two to three times lower than that reported in the literature. In the dialysis group, the variables positively related to total cholesterol were hypertension (P < 0.05) and gender (female) (P < 0.05); to LDL and HDL, hypertension (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively); and to triglyceride, use of propranolol (P < 0.01). Age, race, duration of hemodialysis, body mass index and plasma creatinine did not affect plasma lipids. The prevalence of coronary artery disease, established by invasive and noninvasive methods, was 10.7% while in the literature 20–35% of the unselected hemodialysis patients present obstructive coronariopathy. We conclude that the plasma lipid profile of Brazilian hemodialysis patients is similar to those reported in American and European literature, whereas the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia and of coronary artery disease appears to be reduced.