Wen-Feng Wu1, Qi-Hui Wang2, Tao Zhang3, Shu-Hua Mi3, Yang Liu4, Lv-Ya Wang5. 1. Beijing Institute of Heart Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China; Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China. 2. Beijing Center for Physical & Chemical Analysis, 27th West Third Ring North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100089, China. 3. Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China. 4. Beijing Center for Physical & Chemical Analysis, 27th West Third Ring North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100089, China. Electronic address: ellen2008liu@yahoo.com.cn. 5. Beijing Institute of Heart Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China; Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, 2 Anzhen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China. Electronic address: wanglvya2012@163.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We investigated the changes in cholesterol absorption and synthesis markers before and after simvastatin therapy in Chinese patients with coronary heart disease. DESIGN AND METHOD: We developed a gas chromatography method to identify cholesterol synthesis and absorption markers and measured them in patients with coronary heart disease. We then tested their use in predicting the efficacy of simvastatin in lowering cholesterol. Serum samples from 45 patients and 38 healthy humans (controls) were analyzed in a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. RESULTS: Squalene and five non-cholesterol sterols--desmosterol and lathosterol (synthesis markers) and campesterol, stigmasterol, and sitosterol (absorption markers)--were detected. The recovery rates of the markers were 95-102%. After simvastatin treatment for four weeks, the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels had significantly decreased from the baseline values (p<0.05). The baseline lathosterol level was significantly higher in good responders than in poor responders (p<0.05), and the stigmasterol level was significantly lower in good responders than in poor responders (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This method should be suitable for the detection of serum squalene and non-cholesterol markers and can be used to predict the efficacy of simvastatin in patients with coronary heart disease.
OBJECTIVES: We investigated the changes in cholesterol absorption and synthesis markers before and after simvastatin therapy in Chinese patients with coronary heart disease. DESIGN AND METHOD: We developed a gas chromatography method to identify cholesterol synthesis and absorption markers and measured them in patients with coronary heart disease. We then tested their use in predicting the efficacy of simvastatin in lowering cholesterol. Serum samples from 45 patients and 38 healthy humans (controls) were analyzed in a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. RESULTS:Squalene and five non-cholesterolsterols--desmosterol and lathosterol (synthesis markers) and campesterol, stigmasterol, and sitosterol (absorption markers)--were detected. The recovery rates of the markers were 95-102%. After simvastatin treatment for four weeks, the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels had significantly decreased from the baseline values (p<0.05). The baseline lathosterol level was significantly higher in good responders than in poor responders (p<0.05), and the stigmasterol level was significantly lower in good responders than in poor responders (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This method should be suitable for the detection of serum squalene and non-cholesterol markers and can be used to predict the efficacy of simvastatin in patients with coronary heart disease.