Poster Sessions 84 PO22 Epidemiology of CVD risk factors Based on control group, referent values for novel bioindexes were calculated: 0-0.54 for LTI, 0-0.49 for LPI, -0.47-0.07 for AIP and 0.19-1.29 for TG/HDL-cholesterol ratio. Related to these values, significantly higher frequency for LTI (p< 0.001), LPI (p< 0.001), AIP (p< 0.001) and TG/HDL-cholesterol ratio (p< 0.001) were found in cases than controls. High incidence of pathological values of AIP and TG/HDL-cholesterol ratio (which are considered to be marker of atherogenic lipoprotein profile, i.e. predomination of small dense LDL and HDL particles), LTI (as atherogenic marker associated with Lp(a)) and LPI (as atherogonenic marker associated with Lp(a), apo A-I and B-100 levels), in chronically hemodialyzed patients, speaks up in favour of their use in more precise evaluation of atherogenic risk in routine clinical practice. PO22-273 CAD RISK FACTORS IN HYPERALPHALIPOPROTEINEMIA G. Sarwal 1 , A.F. Ayyobi 2 , C. Taraboanta 1 , J. Frohlich 1 . 1 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 2 Department of Medicine, UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada Introduction: Patients with high HDL-cholesterol frequently present a therapeutic dilemma particularly if they also have higher levels of LDL-C or other risk factors. Methods: We have characterized a large cohort of 153 patients with HDL-C > 90th percentile corrected for age and gender. Results: Thirty-eight individuals had evidence of vascular disease on carotid ultrasound. This included increased intimal medial thickness (n=38) and/or presence of plaques (n=11). Individuals with no evidence of carotid disease had significantly lower LDL-C levels (3.56±1.74 vs. 4.30±1.61, p=0.02). There was no difference in the other lipid parameters (TC, HDL-C, TG, ApoB, Log (HDL/TG)) and fasting blood glucose levels. Although the preliminary analysis provides no evidence to suggest contribution of other genetic lipid disorders (i.e familial hypercholesterolemia) to the increased vascular disease further genetic and family studies are in progress. Conclusion: A significant proportion of the patients with hyperal- phalipoproteinemia are at increased risk of CAD in the setting of elevated LDL-C levels. This may be related to a number of factors including HDL particle quality and efficiency of the reverse cholesterol pathway, or atherogenic properties of LDL particles exceeding the compensatory mechanisms. LDL-C target in this cohort remains unclear. PO22-274 COST-OF-DISEASE IN TURKISH HYPERTENSION POPULATION N. Koylan 1 , G. Kabakci 2 , B. Ilerigelen 3 , O. Kozan 4 , K. Buyukozturk 1 . 1 Istanbul University Istanbul Medical Faculty, Cardiology Dept. Istanbul, Turkey; 2 Hacettepe University Medical Faculty, Cardiology Dept. Ankara, Turkey; 3 Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Cardiology Dept. Istanbul, Turkey; 4 Dokuz Eylul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Cardiology Dept. Izmir, Turkey Since health expenses are increasing rapidly all over the world, economic aspects of diseases are being evaluated besides clinical outcomes. Therefore, in order to spend the limited national budget, it is very crucial to know the cost of diseases with high frequency. The purpose of this study was to calculate the direct and indirect cost items of hypertension in hypertensive patients followed at healthcare centers in Turkey. In order to achieve this goal, medical records of 1343 hypertensive subjects from 70 different centers all over the country are examined. Total annual cost per one hypertensive patient was calculated as 922 euros. Approximately 90% of this total (831 euros) were direct costs. Direct costs included treatment cost (586 euros), service cost (124 euros) and laboratory cost (118 euros). The presence of any risk factor causes 96% increase in total cost. The risk factor that is most costly is dyslipidemia, with 29% increase). The effects of accompanying diseases are much more significant. The presence of any accompanying disease causes 193% increase in total cost of disease. Diabetes (202%) and retinopathy (196%) are the ones with most prominent impact on the cost. It should be recognized that cost of disease in hypertension have a very wide heterogeneity, mostly related with accompanying diseases and somewhat with risk factors. Therefore management of hypertensive patients should not be limited to control of blood pressure and should include the management of these factors besides, not only for clinical reasons, but for economical reasons, as well. PO22-275 MANAGEMENT OF DYSLIPIDEMIA REMAINS INADEQUATE IN EUROPE IN 2006-2007 – EUROPEAN STUDY CEPHEUS (CENTRALISED PAN-EUROPEAN SURVEY ON THE UNDER- TREATMENT OF HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA) J. Ferrieres 1 , E. Tocque-Le Gousse 2 , C. Fabry 2 . 1 Department of Cardiology, Rangueil Hospital, Toulouse, France; 2 AstraZeneca, Rueil Malmaison, France Background and aims: The last 10 years have been marked by regular updates of guidelines for the management of dyslipidemia aiming to lowering LDL-C targets. In spite of the evidence of a wider prescription of lipid-lowering therapy, the epidemiological studies show that high choles- terol levels remain insufficiently treated in clinical practice in Europe. The objective of the CEPHEUS study was to assess the effectiveness of long term prescription of lipid-lowering therapy at national and European levels in accordance with the 2003 European Society of Cardiology guidelines, using centralized laboratory biology determination. Methods: Paneuropean study, including patients treated with lipid- lowering drug for > 3 months, with no dosage modification for > 6 weeks. Calculation of the global cardiovascular risk according to the European SCORE risk tool. Results: 14478 patients were analysed in Europe and 1966 were French subjects (table). Conclusion: CEPHEUS confirms that the goals of LDL-C remain insufficiently reached in France, on the basis of a quantitative centralized laboratory analysis. This study shows the bad penetration of European guidelines at the national level. PO22-276 OXIDIZED LDL OUTPERFORMS OTHER LIPID MARKERS AND IS COMPARABLE TO CAROTID INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESS IN PREDICTING EXTENSIVE PREMATURE CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS K. Triantafyllou 1 , P. Symeonides 1 , D. Angelidou 1 , M. El Ali 2 , T. Theodoridis 2 , V. Kokkinou 2 , A. Papapanagiotou 3 , C. Nounopoulos 3 , A. Kalofoutis 3 , S. Koulouris 1 . 1 Cardiology Department, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece; 2 Hematology Laboratory, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece; 3 Biochemistry Department, Medical School of Athens University Background: We compared serum oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein (oxLDL) to other lipid parameters and to common carotid maximal intima- 77th Congress of the European Atherosclerosis Society, April 26–29, 2008, Istanbul, Turkey