Relationship between small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with carotid plaque in Chinese individuals with abnormal carotid artery intima-media thickness

Abstract

Aim To investigate the relationship of small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) to carotid artery intima-media thickness (CA-IMT) and carotid plaque (CAP) in Chinese general population, and to evaluate whether sdLDL-C could be an independent risk factor for individuals with subclinical atherosclerosis. Methods A total of 729 subjects were randomly collected from consecutive individuals from April 2019 to April 2020 for an annual health checkup. CA-IMT > 1.0 mm was defined as abnormal IMT. Plaque stability was measured by ultrasound examination based on the property of the echo. And sdLDL-C levels were detected by LipoPrint system. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with CA-IMT and carotid plaque. Results The abnormal IMT group had significantly higher sdLDL-C levels than control group (p < 0.0001). And sdLDL-C levels were significantly positively correlated with IMT value (r = 0.1396, p = 0.0021) and presence of carotid plaque (r = 0.14, p = 0.002) in the subjects with abnormal IMT. In addition, subjects with higher levels of sdLDL-C (r = 0.11, p = 0.035) tended to have unstable CAP. After adjustment for age, gender and blood glucose, sdLDL-C level was an independent risk factor of the presence of CAP (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.02–1.83, p = 0.034) in subjects with abnormal IMT. Conclusion SdLDL-C is an independent risk factor of the occurrence of CAP in the Chinese subjects with abnormal IMT. Our findings provide supporting evidence that sdLDL-C might be an alternative way to predict CVD in early stage.

Low−/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and carotid plaques in patients with coronary heart disease: a Chinese cohort study

“…Furthermore, high-density LDL particles have a higher affinity for proteinosan, which extends its stay on the wall and induces the development of AS. Moreover, the HDL-C particle size generally decreases with the increase in LDL-C/HDL-C, suggesting a blockade of HDL maturity, which may be responsible for the progression of AS [ 34 , 35 ].…”

Small, Dense Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol and Atherosclerosis: Relationship and Therapeutic Strategies

“…AS mainly affects the intima of the large-and medium-sized arteries, characterized by lipid deposition, focal fibrosis, and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, resulting in thickening, hardening, and lumen stenosis of the vessel wall, ultimately leading to ischemic changes in the corresponding organs. In recent years, some studies have confirmed that the ability of LDL-C to induce AS varies with different densities, and there is a stronger relationship between sdLDL-C and the stability of AS plaques (16,17). Ikezaki (18) followed 2,030 men and women [median age 59 years old, no cardiovascular disease (CVD) and not taking cholesterol-lowering drugs] for five years and performed univariate, multivariate regression and least squares analysis to examine the relationship between direct sdLDL-C and other lipoproteins with the progression of carotid intimal medial thickness (cIMT).…”