Do mutations causing low HDL-C promote increased carotid intima-media thickness?
BACKGROUND
Although observational data support an inverse relationship between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and coronary heart disease (CHD), genetic HDL deficiency states often do not correlate with premature CHD.


METHODS
Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) measurements were obtained in cases comprising 10 different mutations in LCAT, ABCA1 and APOA1 to further evaluate the relationship between low HDL resulting from genetic variation and early atherosclerosis.


RESULTS
In a 1:2 case-control study of sex and age-related (+/-5 y) subjects (n=114), cIMT was nearly identical between cases (0.66+/-0.17 cm) and controls (0.65+/-0.18 cm) despite significantly lower HDL cholesterol (0.67 vs. 1.58 mmol/l) and apolipoprotein A-I levels (96.7 vs. 151.4 mg/dl) (P<0.05)


CONCLUSIONS
Genetic variants identified in the present study may be insufficient to promote early carotid atherosclerosis.
Miller
Michael
M
University of Maryland Hospital and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States. mmiller@medicine.umaryland.edu
Rhyne
Jeffrey
J
Hong
Seung Ho
SH
Friel
Gina
G
Dolinar
Christina
C
Riley
Ward
W
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D003287:Contrast Media; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D003287:Contrast Media