Gender difference in the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in elderly Japanese patients with coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) levels are known to be reduced in the metabolic syndrome, but the HDLC profile of elderly patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been well characterized. This study investigated the gender difference of HDLC levels in elderly Japanese patients with CAD.


METHODS
Serum lipid data were analyzed retrospectively to assess sex-related differences of the lipid profile, and to evaluate the effects of pharmacotherapy or physical exercise on hyperlipidemia.


METHODS
A total of 163 elderly (> or = 65 years) outpatients with CAD (128 men aged 70.6+/-5.2 years and 35 women aged 74.1+/-6.0 years [mean+/-SD]) were investigated.


RESULTS
The mean total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), and triglyceride (TG) levels were similar in men and women, while the mean HDLC level was significantly higher in women than men (58.3+/-18.1 vs. 50.3+/-13.5 mg/dL; p=0.0064). The HDLC level was not significantly influenced by oral lipid-lowering therapy or regular exercise in either sex. However, women without lipid-lowering therapy had significantly higher HDLC levels than men with (p=0.0312) or without (p=0.0338) lipid-lowering therapy, while women performing regular exercise had significantly higher HDLC levels than men with (p=0.0047) or without (p<0.001) regular exercise.


CONCLUSIONS
Elderly women with CAD have higher HDLC levels relative to their postmenopausal state than those of men with CAD. Low HDLC levels, unlike in men, may not be a major risk factor for CAD in elderly women.
Musha
Haruki
H
Department of Cardiology, Yokohama City Seibu Hospital, St. Marianna University School of Medicine.
Hayashi
Akio
A
Kida
Keisuke
K
Takahashi
Eiji
E
Suzuki
Kae
K
Kawasaki
Kensuke
K
Inoue
Koji
K
Akashi
Yoshihiro
Y
Tsuchiya
Katsuhiko
K
Yamauchi
Masahiro
M
Kunishima
Tomoyuki
T
Hashimoto
Nobuyuki
N
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000032:analysis
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides