Signification of high density and total cholesterol and triglycerides in acute myocardial infarction — a case-control study

Abstract

This case-control study of acute myocardial infarction showed no statistical significant difference between the mean total cholesterol levels (5.45 vs. 5.26 mmol/L) of coronary patients (n = 40) and matched controls (n = 80). Also no significant association (p = 0.180) was found for HDL cholesterol between cases and controls (1.05 vs. 1.43 mmol/L). However, coronary patients had significantly (p = 0.0001) higher values of both total triglycerides (2.38 vs. 1.75 mmol/L) and HDL triglycerides (0.411 vs. 0.76 mmol/L) than the matched controls. Furthermore, for all subjects (cases and controls), both HDL cholesterol and (r = 0.337, p = 0.0002) and total triglycerides (r = 0.459, p = 0.0001). Findings of this study and others cast doubt on the use of HDL cholesterol levels, especially single determinations, in the management of coronary patients by the clinicians. We suggest that levels of total and HDL triglycerides, along with modification of other risk factors, should constitute the intervention modality for coronary artery disease.