The association between plasma ceramides and the main cardiovascular risk factors in coal mining industry workers

Aim: To assess the relationship between serum ceramides and the main cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors in coal mining industry workers. Material and methods: The single-center study included 209 Kuzbass mining industry workers aged 39.0 (34.0; 45.0) years. The median length of service in underground mining was 14.0 (10.0; 16.0) years. The traditional cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated and the ceramide content Cer (d18:1) with a fatty acid residue with a different length of the hydrocarbon chain was analyzed. Results: The results revealed high rates of smoking (73.2 %), arterial hypertension (AH) (63.3 %), alcohol consumption (54.1 %), dyslipidemia (64.6 %) and obesity (24.9 %) in coal industry workers. Hypercholesterolemia (60.3 %) and elevated levels of lowdensity lipoproteins (LDL-С) (34.5 %) were the most common variant of dyslipidemia. Moreover, we detected low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL-С) (23.9 %) and hypertriglyceridemia (23 %) in coal industry workers with the same frequency. Respondents over 40 years of age showed worse clinical profile compared to younger participants due to a higher number of cases with hypertension, higher systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, plasma cholesterol (TC). In addition, older respondents presented with hyperglycemia 2 times more often and with hypercholesterolemia 1.4 times more often compared to younger respondents. Taking into account the age of participants, comparative analysis of ceramides did not reveal any statistically significant differences. The length of service in the industry was characterized by a higher age of the respondents, a higher frequency of hypertension, as well as higher values of DBP and concentration of TC. There were no differences in the frequency of dyslipidemia and its variants. The content of Cer (d18:1/21:0) increased with length of service, and the content of Cer(d18:1/24:0) had an inverse relationship and decreased with increasing length of service in underground mining. Thus, the levels of Cer(d18:1/12:0) and Cer(d18:1/22:0) were associated with a high risk of obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, low HDL, high LDL, and hypertriglyceridemia. The maximum number of ceramides studied was associated with the risk of developing high LDL levels. Conclusions. Findings showed high frequency of traditional CVD risk factors such as AH, smoking, alcohol consumption, dyslipidemia and obesity in coal industry workers. The concentration of the studied ceramides did not depend on the age of workers. Longer length of service in the coal industry was associated with an increase in plasma concentrations of ceramides such as Cer(d18:1/14:0), Cer(d18:1/18:0), Cer(d18:1/20:0), Cer d18:1/21:0, and a decrease in Cer(d18:1/24:0). Cer (d18:1/24:0) was not associated with any of the parameters characterizing lipid metabolism disorders. Cer(d18:1/12:0) and Cer(d18:1/22:0) levels were associated with a high risk of obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, low HDL-С, high LDL-С and hypertriglyceridemia.

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