Total bilirubin in young men and women: Association with risk markers for cardiovascular diseases

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether high bilirubin concentration is a protective factor in cardiovascular disease (CAD) and how it correlates with parameters of oxidative stress in young males and females. Methods: The study comprised 628 healthy subjects of both genders, 18-22 years of age. In fasting sera the concentration of total bilirubin (Tbil), parameters of cardiovascular risk and oxidative stress were determined. The results were analyzed by appropriate statistical methods. Results: We found no gender differences in body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and lipid profile between subjects with low and high Tbil level. Men with high Tbil had higher concentrations of albumin and uric acid (p < 0.001) and lower of oxLDL (<0.05), while women had higher albumin (p < 0.05) and lower TBARS (p <0.05). Significant positive correlation in men was found between Tbil, uric acid and albumin, while for glucose and TSARS this association was negative. In female significant positive correlation was between Tbil, HDL-C, fibrinogen, albumin and uric acid and negative between Tbil and TBARS. The high concentration of Tbil in men was independently associated with uric acid (p < 0.05) and oxLDL (p < 0.001), while in women it was independently associated with TBARS (p <0.05). After adjustment for traditional lipid parameters the predictive power of high bilirubin in men remained for uric acid (p < 0.001) and TBARS in women (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings jointly support the concept that bilirubin via its antioxidant potential has a protective effect against cardiovascular disease in young male and female. (C) 2013 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.