Perwaiz Iqbal, Hasanat Mohammad Sharif, Naseema Mehboobali.
Variability in lipid profile before and after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
J Pak Med Assoc Jan ;55(3):95-8.

Objective: To investigate changes in total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides in serum of Pakistani patients before, immediately after and 5 days post CABG. Method: Serum samples from 31 consecutive Pakistani angina patients undergoing CABG at the Aga Khan University Hospital were analyzed for total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides using kit methods. cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. However, 5 days post CABG, there is a significant increase in the Results: Immediately after CABG, there is a significant decline in the mean levels of serum cholesterol, LDL concentrations of total cholesterol (P=0.01) and LDL cholesterol (P=0.001) in nondiabetic angina patients (n=13). triglycerides went back to the pre-operative levels within 5 days post CABG. Compared to European patients, Pakistani patients tend to have very low levels of HDL cholesterol (24.9 ± 7.1 mg/dl) and high levels of triglycerides (185 ± 50 mg/dl) on day 5 post CABG. Conclusion: Since risk of mortality following CABG increases with low level of HDL cholesterol and high level Among the diabetic group of patients (n=18), the levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and of triglycerides, close monitoring and treatment of high lipid levels of Pakistani patients following CABG is necessary to prevent further coronary events.

USER COMMENTS

Serum levels of cholesterol and lipoprotein subfractions change during illness or stress. However, authors didn't comment on the postoperative course of these patients. There is one hint in the study for this. Diabetic patients are more likely to have post-operative complications. Although, there were more diabetic patients in the study, p-values were not statisticaly significant due to increased spread in the values form diabetic patients. It is quite possible that this increased variability may be due to complicated post-op course. I understand that this is a mere speculation, but authors have left a lot of space for speculation. May be auhtors would do another study to include the post-operative course as another viriable in the analysis of data.
Posted by: rqayyum on Jun 2005

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