Lipoprotein disorder in brain infarction and hemorrhage.

The cholesterol, triglyceride, and apolipoprotein B content of very low-, intermediate-, low-, and high-density lipoprotein fractions (separated by ultracentrifugation) and plasma were measured in healthy controls and patients with atherothrombotic infarction (26), lacunar infarction (26), and brain hemorrhage (14). In both atherothrombotic and lacunar infarction, increased plasma and low-density lipoprotein apolipoprotein B and a decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/apolipoprotein B ratio were noted. In brain hemorrhage patients, a decreased ratio was also observed. These findings suggest that increased small dense low-density lipoprotein is a characteristic risk factor for atherothrombotic and lacunar infarction.