Triglycerides and coronary heart disease: have recent insights yielded conclusive answers?

Abstract

Despite over 50 years of research, the relevance of triglycerides to coronary heart disease risk remains uncertain. Contrary to prevailing views, recent studies demonstrate that the long-term within-individual variability of triglyceride measurements is similar to that of other lipid fractions. Several prospective studies have reported on associations of circulating triglyceride levels with coronary heart disease risk, but it remains unclear whether observed associations are dependent on levels of conventional risk factors (especially other lipids) or are importantly modified under different circumstances (especially by fasting status). Ongoing large-scale studies should help clarify such outstanding uncertainties and assess whether measurement of triglyceride levels can better identify individuals at increased risk of coronary heart disease than measurement of conventional risk factors alone. Available interventions that lower levels of triglycerides are unable to judge causality as such interventions typically influence levels of several lipid fractions. Study of genetic variants that regulate triglyceride levels may provide an alternative approach to assess causality. Although recent studies have progressed our understanding of triglycerides and coronary heart disease, several outstanding uncertainties remain unresolved. Ongoing studies should help clarify these, including whether measurement of triglyceride levels can help improve coronary heart disease risk assessment, and study of genetic variants may help better understand any causal role.