Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026

LDL Cholesterol Uptake Assay Using Live Cell Imaging Analysis with Cell Health Monitoring
Published on: November 17, 2018
Small LDL-cholesterol is superior to LDL-cholesterol for determining severe coronary atherosclerosis
Shinji Koba1, Yuuya Yokota, Tsutomu Hirano
1Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Showa University School of Medicine, tokyo, Japan. skoba@med.showa-u.ac.jp
Aim:
Recent evidence suggests that small dense low-density lipoprotein (sd-LDL) particles are more atherogenic than large-LDL in spite of their lower cholesterol content. This study aimed to determine whether sd-LDL-cholesterol (sd-LDL-C) is superior to LDL-C as a biomarker of coronary heart disease (CHD).
Methods:
LDL particle size determined by gradient gel electrophoresis and sd-LDL-C concentrations quantified by heparin-magnesium precipitation were compared between 482 stable CHD patients and 389 non-diabetic subjects without CHD who were not receiving any lipid-lowering drugs.
Results:
Both male and female CHD patients had significantly smaller LDL particles and lower large-LDL-C concentrations (estimated by subtracting the sd-LDL-C concentration from the LDL-C concentration), and significantly higher sd-LDL-C concentrations than the control subjects. LDL-C concentrations were modestly higher and sd-LDL-C concentrations were significantly higher in 258 patients with angiographically documented severe CHD than in the patients with mild CHD irrespective of treatment by LDL-lowering drugs and history of myocardial infarction and/or coronary revascularization. Large-LDL-C concentrations, in contrast, were similar between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that sd-LDL-C levels were significantly associated with severe CHD independently of LDL-C.
Conclusion:
sd-LDL-C levels are more powerful than LDL-C levels for the determination of severe stable CHD.
Related Concept Videos
Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation
Considering cholesterol and...
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System III: Serum Lipid Profile
Serum lipids are fats and fatty substances in the blood and are crucial for various bodily functions, including energy storage, cellular structure, and hormone production. Serum lipids consist of cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids.
Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like substance found in all body cells. It is crucial for producing hormones, vitamin D, and substances that aid...
Atherosclerosis III: Management
Coronary Artery Disease IV: Preventive Measures
Lipid-Lowering Drugs: Statins and Miscellaneous Agents
Lipids: Dietary Sources and Requirements