Abstract

The electrophoretic separation of lipoproteins on polyacrylamide gels enables the quantification of nonatherogenic and atherogenic plasma lipoproteins including small dense low density lipoprotein (sdLDL) particles, which represent the atherogenic lipoprotein subpopulations in plasma. This methodology could help distinguish between nonatherogenic hyperlipidemia, normolipidemia with an atherogenic lipoprotein profile, non-atherogenic normolipidemia, and atherogenic hyperlipidemia. According to our pilot research of a normolipidemic population, the atherogenic lipoprotein profile might be present in about 6% of normolipidemic young healthy individuals. Therefore, if confirmed by other studies, it will be necessary to consider a different diagnostic approach and risk stratification for patients with atherogenic normolipidemia (as well as non-atherogenic hypercholesterolemia).

Keywords: Atherogenic normolipidemia, lipoprotein profile, low density lipoprotein, small dense LDL, very low-density lipoprotein.