Association between small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and carotid atherosclerosis

Abstract

Objective: To explore the association between small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) and carotid atherosclerosis. Methods: 1 578 subjects were enrolled in an annual health check-up program in aerospace center hospital from 2016 to 2017, and these patients were divided into 471 cases (men 343 and women 128) with carotid atherosclerosis (subjects with increased carotid artery intima-media thickness or carotid atherosclerosis plaque) and 1 107 cases (men 567 and women 540) with non- carotid atherosclerosis according to ultrasonography. Serum sdLDL-C levels were measured by peroxidase assay. Results: Serum sdLDL-C was significantly higher in carotid atherosclerosis group (1.11±0.44) mmol/L than that in non-carotid group (0.88±0.40) mmol/L, with significant difference (t=9.856, P<0.001). Stratified by quartiles of sdLDL-C (Q1-Q4), the prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis was significantly increased trend along with increased sdLDL-C levels (P<0.001). In multivariate Logistic regression analysis, after adjustment for age, sex and other traditional atherosclerosis risk factors, comparing Q4 with Q1, the odd ratio of prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis was 5.164, and 95% confidence interval(CI) was 2.833-9.413. While the sdLDL-C threshold was 0.727 mmol/L as the optimal cut-off point, the clinical sensitivity and specificity of sdLDL-C for screening carotid atherosclerosis were 80.5% and 41.4%, respectively. Conclusion: Serum sdLDL-C was an independent risk factor of carotid atherosclerosis. sdLDL-C may be a potentially useful risk marker in early screening for carotid atherosclerosis.