Prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and hypertriglyceridaemia in patients treated with hypolipidaemic drugs.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of triglyceride and/or high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) disorders and their relationships with other cardiovascular risk factors among patients with dyslipidaemia on lipid-lowering therapy.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study in dyslipidaemic patients receiving lipid-lowering therapy, lipid disorders were defined as triglyceride greater than 1.5 g/L, HDL-C lesser than 0.4 g/L and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) above the recommended concentration according to French guidelines. Based on these disorders, patients were classified into four groups: group 1, no lipid disorders; group 2, low HDL-C and/or high triglyceride concentration with normal LDL-C; group 3, isolated elevated LDL-C; and group 4, elevated LDL-C and low HDL-C and/or high triglyceride. Patients' cardiovascular risk levels were compared across groups.


RESULTS
Among the 2727 patients (mean age 64.7 years, 46.7% women), 28% did not reach the target LDL-C concentration as defined by French guidelines. Prevalence rates of high triglyceride and low HDL-C were 27.2 and 10.3%, respectively. Over half (51.2%) of the patients were in group 1, 20.5% were in group 2, 16.2% in group 3 and 12.1% in group 4. Among patients meeting the target LDL-C, those with high triglyceride and/or low HDL-C exhibited a significantly higher number of risk factors (1.83 vs 1.68, p<0.001). Smoking, diabetes and hypertension were associated separately with low HDL-C and/or high triglyceride (p=0.01, p<0.0001, p=0.03, respectively). Conversely, these associations were not observed in patients who did not achieve the target LDL-C, with the exception of smoking (p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
HDL-C and triglyceride disorders are relatively frequent among treated patients, particularly when cardiovascular risk level increased.
Laforest
Laurent
L
Service de neurologie, unité de neuro-épidémiologie et de pharmaco-épidémiologie, hôpital neurologique Pierre-Wertheimer, 59, boulevard Pinel, 69677 Bron cedex, France.
Souchet
Thierry
T
Moulin
Philippe
P
Ritleng
Cécile
C
Desamericq
Gaëlle
G
Le Jeunne
Philippe
P
Schwalm
Marie-Sophie
MS
Van Ganse
Eric
E
D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents