title: Prevalence, clinical characteristics and treatment patterns of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the US population: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2008.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in US adults, assess the association between low HDL-C levels and clinical characteristics, and quantify the utilization of dyslipidemic agents as it relates to the distribution of HDL-C.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed a sample of 4129 adults (>20 years) who underwent fasting blood evaluations in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2008. Sex-specific crude and adjusted logistic models were developed to evaluate the association between individual characteristics and low HDL-C, in which low HDL-C was defined as less than 40  mg/dl for men and less than 50  mg/dl for women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 24% of men and 27% of women had low HDL-C levels. Factors most strongly associated with low HDL-C levels for men included being obese [odds ratio (OR) = 3.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.98-5.40], having elevated triglyceride levels (>200  mg/dl: OR = 8.17, 95% CI: 5.54-12.03) and having apolipoprotein B levels more than 117  mg/dl (OR = 5.99, 95% CI: 2.74-13.13). The same factors were associated with low HDL-C levels among women: being obese (OR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.78-4.71), having elevated triglyceride levels (>200  mg/dl: OR = 13.35, 95% CI: 7.49-23.77) and having apolipoprotein B levels more than 117  mg/dl (OR = 5.88, 95% CI: 2.29-15.11). Approximately 82% of men and 79% of women with low HDL-C levels reported not using any dyslipidemic medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although having low HDL-C was common among US adults, few reported taking a dyslipidemic agent. Our study also confirmed some of the known risk factors associated with low HDL-C levels in the general US population.
authors: GlaxoSmithKline, Worldwide Epidemiology, Durham, North Carolina, USA. g.deferrari@smatteo.pv.it
authors: Jennifer B
authors: JB
authors: Christian
authors: Nancy E
authors: NE
authors: Bourgeois
authors: Kimberly A
authors: KA
authors: Lowe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015536:Down-Regulation; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents