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LDL-C/HDL-C Ratio Predicts Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Progression Better Than HDL-C or LDL-C Alone

Mika Enomoto1, Hisashi Adachi, Yuji Hirai

  • 1Division of Cardio-Vascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan.

Journal of Lipids
|July 21, 2011
PubMed

Insights

The ratio of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C) better predicts atherosclerosis progression than individual levels. This finding highlights the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Atherosclerosis Research

Background:

  • High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are established atherosclerosis predictors.
  • The ratio of LDL-C to HDL-C (LDL-C/HDL-C) has shown potential in predicting disease progression.
  • The optimal lipid marker for subclinical atherosclerosis progression remains under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the most effective predictor of subclinical atherosclerosis progression.
  • To compare the predictive power of LDL-C, HDL-C, and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio on carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) changes.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study involving 1,920 subjects with baseline health examinations in 1999 and follow-up in 2007.
  • Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) changes were measured using ultrasonography.
  • Statistical analysis, including analysis of covariance, was used to assess relationships between lipid parameters and IMT progression.

Main Results:

  • Changes in IMT over eight years were significantly inversely related to HDL-C and positively related to the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio.
  • Increases in the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, particularly when divided into quartiles, were significantly associated with IMT progression.
  • The LDL-C/HDL-C ratio demonstrated a stronger association with IMT progression compared to LDL-C or HDL-C alone.

Conclusions:

  • The LDL-C/HDL-C ratio is a superior predictor of subclinical atherosclerosis progression compared to individual LDL-C or HDL-C levels.
  • This ratio may offer valuable insights for risk stratification and management of atherosclerosis.
  • Further research can explore the clinical utility of the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio in cardiovascular disease prevention.

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