title: Correlation between serum levels of small, dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and carotid stenosis in cerebral infarction patients >65 years of age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We studied the relationship between serum levels of small, dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) and carotid stenosis in elderly patients with ischemic cerebral infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients >65 years of age with newly diagnosed ischemic cerebral infarction were enrolled. None received statins before enrollment. Patients were examined for carotid stenosis by ultrasound color Doppler, and serum sdLDL-C levels were measured using an automated method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 149 patients were distributed according to their carotid stenosis as without (n = 61) or with mild (n = 30), moderate (n = 34), or severe (n = 24) carotid stenosis. sdLDL-C levels increased significantly with increasing stenosis severity (0.54 ± 0.19, 0.71 ± 0.18, 0.98 ± 0.19, and 1.32 ± 0.17 mmol/L, respectively). Spearman rank correlation analysis revealed that sdLDL-C levels and degree of carotid stenosis were positively correlated (r = 0.411; P < 0.001). Male sex, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, drinking, smoking, and sdLDL-C levels were positively correlated with carotid stenosis. Logistic regression analysis revealed that sdLDL-C levels are an independent risk factor of carotid stenosis (P = 0.041).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  sdLDL-C levels are positively correlated with the severity of carotid stenosis, and are an independent risk factor in elderly patients with ischemic cerebral infarction.
authors.affiliation: Center of Laboratory Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Wujiang, Wujiang, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, The First People's Hospital of Wujiang, Wujiang, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Center of Laboratory Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Wujiang, Wujiang, China.
authors.forename: Guorong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Center of Laboratory Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Wujiang, Wujiang, China.
authors.forename: Honglin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Ultrasonography Department, The First People's Hospital of Wujiang, Wujiang, China.
authors.forename: Zhaoyang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Center of Laboratory Medicine, Affliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China. Electronic address: whmjyk@126.com.
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010316:Particle Size; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL