title: A low high density lipoprotein (HDL) level is associated with carotid artery intima-media thickness in asymptomatic members of low HDL families.
abstract: Low serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is a strong predictor of coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the metabolic parameters predicting the atherosclerotic changes in asymptomatic members of low HDL-C families. We performed carotid B-mode ultrasonography with intima-media thickness (IMT) measurement for 89 asymptomatic members of Finnish low HDL-C families. The family members were categorized as affected or unaffected according to the 10th age-gender specific HDL-C percentile. In the affected group, the most marked decrease of HDL subclasses was observed for HDL2-C when compared with the unaffected (109% difference). In the partial correlation analyses, age and gender showed significant correlations with the mean IMT (for age, r=0.880, P<0.001, and for gender, r=-0.361, P=0.018). Importantly, HDL-C and HDL2-C were significantly inversely related to the mean carotid IMT, also after correction for age (for HDL-C, r=-0.186, P=0.043, for HDL2-C, r=-0.208, P=0.029, when adjusted for age). The correlation for HDL-C was significant also when adjusted for gender. In conclusion, low HDL-C is associated with increased carotid artery IMT in asymptomatic members of low HDL-C families.
authors.affiliation: Unita Operativa di Medicina Interna, Ospedale Cannizzaro, Universitá di Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Corradina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alagona
authors.forename: Aino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soro
authors.forename: Kati
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ylitalo
authors.forename: Riitta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salonen
authors.forename: Jukka T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Salonen
authors.forename: Marja-Riitta
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Taskinen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL