BODY WEIGHT AND PLASMA LIPOPROTEINS

Background: Body weight may have some effects on plasma lipoproteins. Methods: The study was performed in the Hematology and Internal Medicine Polyclinics on patients with sickle cell diseases (SCD) and routine check up cases. Results: The study included 122 patients with the SCD (58 females) and 176 age and sex-matched control cases, totally. Mean age of patients with the SCD was 28.6 years. The mean body weight and body mass index were significantly retarded in patients with the SCD (71.6 versus 57.8 kg and 24.9 versus 20.7 kg/m2, respectively, p= 0.000 for both), whereas the mean body heights wasere similar in both groups (166.1 versus 168.5 cm, p>0.05). Parallel to the retarded mean body weight, mean values of the low density lipoproteins (LDL), high density lipoproteins (HDL), and alanine aminotransferase were also lower in patients with the SCD, significantly (p= 0.000 for all). Parallel to the retarded mean body weight again, mean values of the systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significanly lower in patients with the SCD (113.3 versus 118.8 and 72.3 versus 83.6 mmHg, respectively, p<0.01 for both). Conclusion: Body weight may be the major determining factor of LDL and HDL values in the plasma.