Increased plasma monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 levels in patients with isolated low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol

Background. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) inhibits inflammation associated with the development of atherosclerotic plaques. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between plasma MCP-1 levels and low HDL-C levels in patients without cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods. This study included 55 patients with low HDL-C (<= 35 mg/dL) and 33 age-and sex-matched control subjects with normal HDL-C (> 35 mg/dL). In addition to MCP-1 levels, laboratory parameters associated with inflammation such as neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), uric acid and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were also evaluated. Results. HDL-C levels was significantly lower in study group compared to that of the control group (p < 0.001). MCP-1 were prominently higher in the low HDL-C group compared with those of the control group (p < 0.01). NLR, uric acid and hs-CRP levels were also higher in patients with low HDL-C than controls. Conclusion. These findings suggest that elevated plasma MCP-1 levels and inflammation status might be associated with the increased cardiovascular risk in patients with low HDL-C.