Plasma concentrations of apolipoproteins A-I, B, and M in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Objectives: Apolipoproteins play important roles in the development of atherosclerosis but their involvement in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is poorly understood. The aim was to investigate whether apoA-I, apoB and apoM are independently associated with AAA. Design and methods: Plasma apoA-I, apoB and apoM were measured in 343 patients with AAA and in 214 elderly apparently healthy control individuals from the background population. Results: AAA patients had lower apolipoprotein levels, as compared to healthy individuals; apoA-I, 1.62 vs. 2.08 g/l; apoB, 0.91 vs. 1.04 g/l; apoM, 0.72 vs. 0.91 mumol/l (p<0.0001 for all three). In multivariate analyses, apoA-I and apoB were associated with AAA, odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) being 0.53 (0.43-0.64) and 0.86 (0.75-0.998), respectively. Conclusions: ApoA-I, apoB and apoM levels were significantly lower in patients with AAA than in the control individuals, but only apoA-I and apoB were independently associated to AAA.