title: Direct assessment of plasma low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease: results from the Framingham Offspring Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We evaluated direct low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (C) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (C) versus standard methods using fasting plasma samples from participants in cycle 6 of the Framingham Offspring Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Direct LDL-C and HDL-C measurements were performed on fasting plasma from male (1335 controls, 173 CHD cases) and female (1606 controls, 74 cases) participants, and compared with LDL-C, as calculated with the Friedewald formula, and HDL-C, as measured after dextran-Mg(2+) precipitation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Values for direct LDL-C and HDL-C correlated well with standard methods (both about r(2)=0.94, p<0.001) with similar absolute values. Biases of >10% were present for 7.7% of samples for LDL-C, while for HDL-C this value was 8.5%. Despite higher use of cholesterol-lowering medication in CHD cases, calculated or direct LDL-C values were still well above recommended values [<2.6 mmol/L (100 mg/dL)] in CHD cases, especially in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Direct assays for both LDL-C and HDL-C provide an acceptable guide for lipid treatment. In Framingham Offspring Study participants most CHD cases had LDL-C levels above the recommended target.
authors.affiliation: Lipid Metabolism Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Seiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Otokozawa
authors.forename: Masumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.forename: Bela F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Asztalos
authors.forename: Charles C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Serkalem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demissie-Banjaw
authors.forename: L Adrienne
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cupples
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Peter W F
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Ernst J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Schaefer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL