title: Relationship between serum lipid values and atherosclerotic burden in the proximal thoracic aorta.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We conducted a cross-sectional analysis in a population-based cohort to compare the strength of the associations among various lipid parameters and the presence of atherosclerotic plaque in the proximal thoracic aorta.
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of Aortic Plaques and Risk of Ischemic Stroke (APRIS) study, 464 subjects were studied (mean age 69.1 +/- 9.0, 251 males and 213 females), including 255 patients with first ischaemic stroke and 209 stroke-free controls. Presence and thickness of atherosclerotic plaque were assessed by transoesophageal echocardiography. Measured lipid parameters included total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lipoprotein (a), apolipoprotein (Apo) B and A-I levels with their ratio.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, atherosclerotic plaque was detected in 326 subjects (70.4%) and 37.6% of these subjects (n=174) had atherosclerotic plaque > or =4 mm. After adjusting for other significant predictors of atherosclerosis, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and Apo B/A-I ratio emerged as the strongest predictors of any atherosclerotic plaque (P<0.001 and P=0.004, respectively), followed by individual Apo B (P=0.015) and A-I (P=0.016) levels, triglycerides (P=0.027) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (P=0.021). Total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were not significant predictors for any atherosclerotic plaque (P=0.273 and P=0.081, respectively). High-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (P=0.008) and Apo A-I (P=0.006) were also significant predictors of atherosclerotic plaque > or =4 mm. Similar trends were observed after exclusion of subjects on cholesterol lowering drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and Apo B/A-I ratio, but not total or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, were strongly associated with degree of proximal aortic atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kohsaka
authors.forename: Zhezhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rundek
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Homma
authors.forename: Ralph L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.forename: Marco R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Di Tullio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology*; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008055:Lipids; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D014280:Triglycerides