Laboratory analysis: Plasma glucose, transaminases, CPK and creatinine were determined by routine methods. Serum lipid levels (total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides) were analyzed by commercially available tests (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany). Blood samples were stored at -20ºC until determinations of apolipoproteins and inflammatory markers. Apolipoprotein A-I and B were measured by immunoturbidimetry (Olympus Life and Material Science Europa GmbH, Lismeeham, Ireland), with an intra-assay coefficient of variability (CV) of 1.26-1.30% and 0.93-1.17% respectively, and an inter-assay CV of 1.43-1.55% and 1.10-1.46%, respectively. High-sensitivity CRP (Immulite - DPC, Los Angeles, CA, USA), TNF-α and IL-6 (Immulite - Euro/DPC, Llanberis, Gwynedd, UK) were determined by chemiluminescent immunometric assay. The sensitivity of CRP assay was 0.01 mg/dL (intra-assay CV 4.2-6.4% and inter-assay CV 4.8-10%), of TNF-α assay 1.7 pg/mL (intra-assay CV 2.6-3.6%, inter-assay CV 4.0-6.5%) and of IL-6 assay was 2.0 pg/mL (intra-assay CV 3.5-6.2%, inter-assay CV 5.1-7.5%).