HDL size is more accurate than HDL cholesterol to predict carotid subclinical atherosclerosis in individuals classified as low cardiovascular risk

• Grant number: 14/24973-0
• Support type: Regular Research Grants - Publications - Scientific article
• Duration: March 01, 2015 - August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal researcher: Andrei Carvalho Sposito
• Grantee: Andrei Carvalho Sposito
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Background: Misclassification of patients as low cardiovascular risk (LCR) remains a major concern and challenges the efficacy of traditional risk markers. Due to its strong association with cholesterol acceptor capacity, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) size has been appointed as a potential risk marker. Hence, we investigate whether HDL size improves the predictive value of HDL-cholesterol in the identification of carotid atherosclerotic burden in individuals stratified to be at LCR. Methods and Findings: 284 individuals (40-75 years) classified as LCR by the current US guidelines from primary care centers of the cities of Campinas and Americana, SP, Brazil. Apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins were precipitated by polyethylene glycol and HDL size was measured by dynamic light scattering technique(DLS). Participants were classified in tertiles of HDL size. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) <0.90 mm was determined by ultrasonography and multivariate ordinal regression models were used to assess the association between cIMT across HDL size and levels of lipid parameters. HDL-cholesterol was not associated with cIMT. In contrast, HDL size >8.22nm was independently associated with low cIMT (Odds ratio 0.23; 95% confidence interval 0.07-0.74, p=0.013). Conclusion: The mean HDL size estimated with DLS constitutes a better predictor for subclinical carotid atherosclerosis than the conventional measurements of plasma HDL-cholesterol in individuals classified as LCR. (AU)