Sphingomyelin of Erythrocytes Membranes is Related to Total Cholesterol and LDL-Cholesterol in Patients with Significant Coronary Arterial Disease

We quantified the main phospholipids of erythrocyte membranes and lipid profile from patients with coronary arterial disease (CAD). 202 patients between 22 and 86 years were classified in two groups: a group with CAD greater to or equal to 50% (CAD 50%) and a second group with CAD between zero and less than 50% (CAD<50%). Total phospholipids was,161.1 12.0 nmol Ptotal/mg protein for patients with CAD and 137.7 17.6 nmol Ptotal/mg protein for the patients with CAD < 50% (p=0.038). In the group of patients with CAD 50%, we found a linear correlation between sphingomyelin and total cholesterol (r = 0.69) and sphingomyelin and low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-c) (r = 0.74). This study found that sphingomyelin from membrane is directly related to plasma cholesterol and LDL in patients with CAD 50%.