title: LDL particle size and number compared with LDL cholesterol and risk categorization in end-stage renal disease patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have been conducted that make comparisons between traditional measures of cholesterol and cholesterol subfractions, and only one study has compared low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) particle number, LDL-C particle size and LDL-C among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between cholesterol measures and differences in risk stratification when using ATP-III guidelines compared with cholesterol particle number and size in ESRD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  ESRD patients (n=1,092) from clinics associated with the Central Texas Nephrology Associates were recruited to participate in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LDL particle size categorized more patients at-risk when compared with LDL-C, non-HDL-C and triglycerides. Pearson correlation coefficients revealed a strong significant correlation between LDL-C and LDL particle number (r2=0.908, p=0.0001) and a significant correlation between LDL particle number and LDL particle size (r2=-0.290, p=0.0001). A significant but weak correlation existed between LDL-C and LDL particle size (r2=0.107, p=0.0001). A significant correlation existed between LDL particle number and triglycerides (r2=0.335, p=0.0001) and a significant inverse relationship between LDL particle size and triglycerides (r2=-0.500, p=0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study seems to suggest that using LDL particle size may help to identify those who would not be considered at-risk using LDL-C, non-HDL-C or triglycerides alone, and can be used as a further screening measure that may be more predictive of coronary heart disease outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA. Rodney_Bowden@baylor.edu
authors.forename: Rodney G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: Ronald L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: A Alexander
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Beaujean
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010316:Particle Size; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides