Prostacyclin synthesis stimulating plasma factor in patients with primary hyperlipoproteinemia--effect of dietary and drug treatment.

Recent data have demonstrated a possible pathogenetic influence of the prostacyclin synthesis stimulating plasma factor (PF) in various diseases. Studying this PF in 26 patients with primary hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) we examined patients suffering from types IIa (n = 8), IIb (n = 6) and IV (n = 12) classified according to Fredrickson. Plasma was withdrawn at the detection of the HLP, 4 weeks after a dietary intervention and again 4 weeks after the beginning of a drug treatment. Using various test models such as rat and minipig aortic tissue, human aorta and saphenous vein as well as cultured endothelial and smooth muscle cells, the data reveal an in part significant improvement of PF running parallel with the improvement of HLP. These findings suggest that even though a significant difference between healthy controls and patients suffering from severe atherosclerosis has not been found, there occurs a significant improvement of PF in hyperlipidemic patients after successful treatment. Thus, it can be concluded that normalization of PF is one of the many factors improving the hemostatic balance in patients undergoing beneficial dietary or drug treatment.