CPIB and cholesterol esters

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

867

CPIB AND C H O L E S T E R O L E S T E R S Sirs,

Awareness and concern for the possible consequences of reduction in the proportion of esterified linoleic acid with a relative increase in oleic esters in plasma was the major reason for undertaking this study (Ref. 2 in BOWYER et al.'s letter). The statement which created a point of issue was the opinion that the relative decrease in plasma cholesteryl linoleate should not detract from the generally favorable hypolipemic effect of CPIB. It was not intended to imply that changes in cholesterol ester composition were not important but merely to emphasize that the "desirable" ratio of linoleate to oleate is still a controversial point. In contrast, there is considerable evidence in both man and experimental animals that lower levels of plasma total cholesterol and triglycerides are associated with a diminished incidence or severity of atherosclerosis. In addition to the four literature references (23-36) cited in our paper to support the statement, attention is called to the disturbing data of HARMAN1 which suggests that polyunsaturates (including linoleate) may shorten the life span. We would like to point out that the mean estimate of absolute changes in cholesterol oleate were 48, 49, 44 mg/100 ml and for cholesterol linoleate 102, 81, 101 rag/100 ml for the sequence control, CPIB, placebo respectively. The discussors and the authors find a common point of agreement as stated in the last sentence of the paper "more information from large scale, long term clinical trials are needed in order to evaluate more fully the merits of CPIB for treatment and prophylaxis of atherosclerosis". 27, Elm Street Worcester, Mass. 01608 (U.S.A.)

R. W. ROBINSON M. HAGOPIAN

(Received July 22nd, 1968)

1 HARMAN,

D., Atherosclerosis and aging: effect of dietary fats, Circulation, 1965, 31/32: Suppl. 2,

p. 16.

j . Atheroscler. Res., 1968, 8:864-867