The Dubbo study of the health of elderly: correlates of coronary heart disease at study entry

A prospective study of the health of elderly Australians recently commenced in Dubbo, NSW, the study population comprising 1,237 males and 1,568 females 60 years and older. The prevalence rates of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its associated risk factors have been examined in the baseline data. The age-standardized rate of CHD was 23.8/100 in males and 18.1/100 in females. The prevalence rate increased with age until 79 years in males, thereafter declining. The rate increased steadily with age in females. In a multiple logistic model, the following possible predictors of CHD were included: age, cigarette smoking, use of alcohol, exercise, religiosity, years of education, hypertension, diabetes, family history of CHD, body mass index, lipid and lipoprotein variables. The presence of CHD in males was significantly predicted by age, hypertension (odds ratio, OR = 1.40), family history (OR = 2.05), and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (OR = 0.78). The significant predictors in females were age, years of education (OR = 0.82), hypertension (OR = 1.45), family history (OR = 1.77), serum triglycerides (OR = 1.30), and HDL cholesterol (OR = 0.73). Hypertension was found to be a stronger predictor of CHD in the younger age group (60-69 years), while diabetes was a predictor of CHD in older males (70-79 years). Our findings require confirmation in the prospective study now in progress.     

Relationship between obesity,insulin resistance,and coronary heart disease risk

OBJECTIVES: The study goals were to: 1) define the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and insulin resistance in 314 nondiabetic, normotensive, healthy volunteers; and 2) determine the relationship between each of these two variables and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors. BACKGROUND: The importance of obesity as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and hypertension is well-recognized, but its role as a CHD risk factor in nondiabetic, normotensive individuals is less well established. METHODS: Insulin resistance was quantified by determining the steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) concentration during the last 30 min of a 180-min infusion of octreotide, glucose, and insulin. In addition, nine CHD risk factors: age, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, and glucose and insulin responses to a 75-g oral glucose load were measured in the volunteers. RESULTS: The BMI and the SSPG concentration were significantly related (r = 0.465, p < 0.001). The BMI and SSPG were both independently associated with each of the nine risk factors. In multiple regression analysis, SSPG concentration added modest to substantial power to BMI with regard to the prediction of DBP, HDL cholesterol and TG concentrations, and the glucose and insulin responses. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity and insulin resistance are both powerful predictors of CHD risk, and insulin resistance at any given degree of obesity accentuates the risk of CHD and type 2 diabetes.     

Cardiac risk factors: still important in the elderly

Shown to be associated with new coronary events in elderly men and women are cigarette smoking, systolic or diastolic hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, low serum HDL cholesterol, increased ratio of serum total cholesterol to serum HDL cholesterol, hypertriglyceridemia, diabetes mellitus, obesity, physical inactivity, increased age, prior coronary artery disease, and electrocardiographic and echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy. The greater the number of major coronary risk factors, the higher the incidence of new coronary events. Risk factor modification should therefore be considered in elderly persons.     

Association of serum apolipoprotein A-I (but not high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) with healed myocardial infarction in men independent of serum insulin and C-peptide

Low serum levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol or apolipoprotein A-I and high serum levels of insulin increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and can indicate insulin resistance. We tested the strength, independence, and interactions of associations between HDL cholesterol (or apolipoprotein A-I), insulin (or C-peptide), glucose, and CHD in 95 male nondiabetic patients with CHD who were <60 years old, in 92 probands from the PROCAM study, and in 61 non-cardiologic patients; all subjects were matched by age, body mass index, and smoking habits. Systemic hypertension (odds radio [OR] 2.8, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.6 to 4.8), high serum levels of glucose (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.6 to 4.8), insulin (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3 to 3.6), and C-peptide (OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.2 to 7.5) as well as low serum levels of HDL cholesterol (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.5) or apolipoprotein A-I (OR 3.9, 95% CI 2.1 to 7.1) had significant associations with CHD. At multivariate analysis, systolic blood pressure, glucose, apolipoprotein A-I, and C-peptide, but not HDL cholesterol and insulin, had consistent independent associations with CHD. Thus, the combined measurement of apolipoprotein A-I and C-peptide may improve the identification of nondiabetic patients at increased risk for CHD.     

Is Elevated High‐density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Always Good for Coronary Heart Disease?

BACKGROUND: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) could enhance inflammation in atherogenesis when inflammatory response is present, and the activity of paraoxonase and antioxidant in HDL in the elderly is significantly decreased. There might be a different role for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) between different age groups in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: For this study, 225 inpatients with CHD (coronary atherosclerosis stenosis >/= 50% on >/= 1 major coronary arteries by coronary angiography), and 80 without CHD; 120 resting unstable angina patients, and 68 with stable angina were consecutively recruited. Risk factors were analyzed for CHD and resting unstable angina. RESULTS: High-density lipoprotein cholesterol in resting unstable angina was higher than that in stable angina (1.24 +/- 1.05 versus 1.05 +/- 0.29 mmol/L, p = 0.032). After adjustment for age, sex, physical inactivity, hypertension, diabetes, C-reactive protein, triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) the adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) of resting unstable angina was 10.19 (2.18-47.6, p = 0.003) for HDL-C. Risk factors were further investigated in different age groups. Adjusted OR of CHD associated with HDL-C in < 55-year-old group was 0.09 (0.01-0.66, p = 0.018), in >/= 55-year-old group it was 0.55 (0.08-3.82, p > 0.05). Adjusted OR of resting unstable angina associated with high HDL-C was 19.24 (2.86-129.4, p = 0.002) in patients aged >/= 55 years. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated HDL-C might be an independent risk factor for resting unstable angina, even though HDL-C could play a much more important role in protection against coronary stenosis in younger or middle-aged persons.     

Cardiovascular risk factors as determinants of endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vascular reactivity in the general population

OBJECTIVESWe examined to what extent the variation in risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) and the Framingham risk score (FRS) explain the variation in vascular reactivity in adults aged 30 to 53 years.BACKGROUNDThe role of risk factors in determining vascular reactivity in the general population has not been quantified.METHODSRisk factors for CHD were measured, and the FRS was calculated in 69 healthy volunteers. Lipoprotein particle size was measured using proton-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Forearm plethysmography was used to assess blood flow responses to acetylcholine (ACh), bradykinin (BK), glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), noradrenaline and N^G-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMMA).RESULTSLower ACh and BK responses were associated with a higher body mass index (BMI), a higher total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio, lower HDL cholesterol and a cigarette smoking habit (all p < 0.05). Higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was also associated with a lower BK response (p = 0.001). A decreased GTN response was associated with a higher BMI and total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio (both p < 0.05). A decreased l-NMMA response was associated with a smoking habit (p < 0.001). Lipoprotein particle sizes did not independently predict any vascular response. A high FRS was associated with a reduced response to ACh (p = 0.07), BK (p = 0.003) and l-NMMA (p = 0.003), and the relationship was stronger in women than in men. Altogether, risk factors explained 13%, 9%, 8% and 15% of the response to ACh, BK, GTN and l-NMMA, respectively.CONCLUSIONSLipids, BMI and smoking are important determinants of vascular reactivity. The FRS is predictive of agonist-stimulated, endothelium-dependent vasodilation and basal NO release. However, much of the variation in the vascular responses to these drugs, at this age, remains unexplained.     

Predictive value of lipoprotein (a) and other serum lipoproteins in the angiographic diagnosis of coronary artery disease

To determine the relation among lipids in predicting coronary artery disease (CAD), 213 patients undergoing diagnostic angiography for suspected CAD were prospectively studied. Twenty-one patients had normal coronary arteries and 192 had CAD in 1 to 3 arteries at arteriography with measurements obtained with digital calipers. Lipoproteins were measured and lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] was also assayed in a subset of 98 patients with CAD. Statistical analysis was performed using uni- and multivariate techniques to test the association among age, gender, systemic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, family history, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoproteins (apo) A-I and apo B, ratio of apo A-I to apo B, and ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol, to Lp(a) and to CAD. All factors except gender, systemic hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cigarette smoking were univariate predictors of CAD. Multivariate predictors were, in decreasing order of significance, family history, age, HDL/total cholesterol ratio and apo B. When Lp(a) was included, multivariate predictors were age, family history, apo B and Lp(a), in that order. Lipid parameters alone showed that the HDL/total cholesterol ratio and that Lp(a) provide the best predictive tests for the detection of CAD in this referral population and may ultimately become important screening tests for CAD.     

Relation of serum total cholesterol and other risk factors to risk of coronary events in middle-aged and elderly Japanese men with hypercholesterolemia: the Kyushu Lipid Intervention Study.

BACKGROUND: The role of serum total cholesterol (TC) in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD) may differ in different age groups. METHODS AND RESULTS: The relation of serum TC and other risk factors to CHD events was examined in middle-aged (<65 years) and elderly (> or =65 years) men separately in the Kyushu Lipid Intervention Study (KLIS). Subjects were 4,349 men aged 45-74 years with serum TC of 220 mg/dl or greater who had no history of myocardial infarction, coronary angioplasty, or stroke. There were 123 CHD events (ie, myocardial infarction, coronary bypass surgery, coronary angioplasty, cardiac death, and sudden death) in a 5-year follow-up period. The Cox proportional hazards model was used with baseline and follow-up serum TC, baseline high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and other factors as covariates. Serum TC concentration during the follow-up, not at baseline, was associated with an increased risk of CHD events, especially in elderly men. High concentrations of serum HDL cholesterol were associated with a modest, statistically nonsignificant decrease in the risk among middle-aged men. An increased risk of CHD events associated with diabetes mellitus was greater in middle-aged men. Hypertension and smoking were not measurably related to the risk in either middle-aged or elderly men. CONCLUSIONS: Both the serum TC concentration during follow-up and diabetes mellitus are important predictors of CHD events in Japanese men with moderately elevated serum TC.     

不同类型冠心病患者血清脂联素水平及冠心病危险因素的变化

目的探讨不同类型冠心病患者血清脂联素水平和冠心病危险因素的变化及两者的相关性。方法冠心病患者90例:稳定型心绞痛组(SAP)22例,不稳定型心绞痛组(UAP)32例,急性心肌梗死组(AMI)36例;对照组(CG)30例。测定身高、体重、腰围、臀围、空腹血糖(FPG)、胰岛素(FINS)、总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)和血清脂联素(APN)水平,并计算体重指数(BMI)、腰臀比(WHR)及胰岛素敏感性指数(ISI)。结果冠心病组血清APN水平明显降低,且SAP、UAP、AMI三组血清APN水平依次降低。SAP组FINS升高、ISI降低;UAP组FINS、TC、TG升高,吸烟年限长,ISI降低;AMI组BMI、WHR、FINS、TC、TG、LDL-C升高,吸烟年限长,ISI、HDL-C降低。冠心病患者血清APN与BMI、WHR、FINS、TG、LDL-C呈负相关,与ISI、HDL-C呈正相关。结论冠心病患者血清APN水平降低,SAP、UAP、AMI三组血清APN水平依次降低,冠心病危险因素依次增多。冠心病患者血清APN水平与冠心病危险因素密切相关。     

Regular non-vigorous physical activity and cholesterol levels in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is a powerful independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) among the elderly. Regular vigorous physical activity has been found to raise the concentration of HDL-C and thus reduce the risk of CHD. There is little data on the effect of non-vigorous activity on HDL-C in the elderly. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare CHD risk factors, especially HDL-C, in a group of elderly persons who engage in regular non-vigorous physical activity with a group of frail elderly examined in a previous study. METHODS: Each subject (51 women and 19 men) had anthropometric measures taken and completed a questionnaire on lifestyle and medical history. Total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C and lipoprotein (a) were analysed. Results were compared with those of a frail group examined previously using similar methodology. RESULTS: HDL-C, adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), was greater among women (p < 0.01) and men (p < 0.05) who were engaged in a regular physical activity at least once a week. TC was higher among active women (p < 0.001), but there was also a trend towards a lower TC/HDL ratio. Therefore, although TC is higher in active women, this could be due to a higher proportion of the cholesterol fraction consisting of HDL-C. WHR was negatively associated with HDL-C in frail men (p < 0. 05), active men (p < 0.01) and active women (p < 0.05). BMI was negatively associated with HDL-C in frail women (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This sample of elderly people who participate in regular weekly non-vigorous physical activity have a higher HDL-C than frail individuals who do little or no exercise. Since HDL-C is consistently reported to be inversely associated with CHD in the elderly, an elevation in HDL-C concentration may provide some protection to elderly persons who participate in regular nonvigorous physical activity compared to frail elderly individuals who are largely sedentary. Caution should be exercised in the interpretation of a TC only reading in active elderly women without an accompanying measure of HDL.     

Triglyceride levels and the risk of coronary artery disease: a view from Australia.

A prospective study of cardiovascular disease in elderly Australians commenced in 1988 in Dubbo, New South Wales. The study population comprised 1,237 men and 1,568 women aged > or = 60 years. The prevalence rates of coronary artery disease (CAD) and putative risk factors were examined cross-sectionally in the baseline data. The age-standardized rate of CAD was 23.8/100 men and 18.1/100 women. In a univariate analysis, the major risk factors for CAD were hypertension, diabetes, family history, reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, and increased triglyceride levels. The prevalence rate of CAD was examined in those with low-density lipoprotein (LDL):HDL ratios < 5.0 or > 5.0. Most notably in women, the CAD rate was 16/100 with an LDL.HDL ratio < or = 5.0 and 28/100 with an LDL.HDL ratio > 5.0. In the latter group, the rate was 21/100 in those with triglycerides < or = 2.3 mmol/liter and 36/100 in those with triglycerides > 2.3 mmol/liter. In a multiple logistic model that controlled for many potential risk factors or confounding variables, CAD in men was significantly predicted by age, hypertension (odds ratio = 1.40), family history (odds ratio = 2.05), and low HDL cholesterol (odds ratio = 0.78). Significant predictors in women were age, years of education (odds ratio = 0.82), hypertension (odds ratio = 1.45), family history (odds ratio = 1.77), serum triglycerides (odds ratio = 1.30), and low HDL cholesterol (odds ratio = 0.73). An independent gradient of CAD risk with increasing triglyceride levels and a similar gradient with decreasing HDL cholesterol levels were found in women.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

老年非酒精性脂肪性肝病合并冠心病患者临床特点及危险因素分析*

目的 探讨老年非酒精性脂肪性肝病(NAFLD)患者合并冠心病(CHD)的临床特点及危险因素。方法 2018年5月～2020年6月我院收治的186例老年NAFLD患者,接受冠状动脉造影诊断冠心病,采用单因素和多因素Logistic回归分析合并CHD的影响因素。结果 在186例老年NAFLD患者中,75例(40.3%)合并CHD;CHD组合并糖尿病、高血压、吸烟和空腹血糖(FPG)、总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三脂(TG)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL-C)、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)和胰岛素抵抗指数(HOMA-IR)与非CHD组比,差异均有统计学意义(P均<0.05);经多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,BMI超标、合并糖尿病、血清FPG、TC、TG和LDL-C水平均为老年NAFLD患者合并CHD的独立危险因素(P均<0.05)。结论 老年NAFLD患者合并CHD发生率较高,并存在显著的独立危险因素,需做好针对性的筛查和防治,以减少CHD的发生,提高老年人生活质量。     

上海市心血管病主要危险因素变化趋势分析

目的：评价上海地区人群心血管病主要危险因素的变化趋势。方法：采用重复横断面调查的方法,1992、1995、1996和1999年共4次对上海市某工厂人群进行心血管病主要危险因素调查,共1118人,对收缩压、舒张压、体重指数、高血压的患病率和吸烟情况的变化趋势进行了分析。结果：（1）1992年人群基线心血管病危险因素如血压、吸烟率、血清总胆固醇、甘油三酯、HDL－胆固醇、腰臀比、体重指数结果与MONICA北京的地区监测结果相近。（2）无论男性或女性,收缩压和舒张压水平均呈上升趋势。男性收缩压平均升高12.3mmHg, 舒张压平衡升高6.4mmHg;女性依次为11.5mmHg和4.9mmHg;（3）男性高血压患病率呈上升趋势;女性变化趋势不明显。（4）男性与女性体重指数各年度比较均无显著性差异,无逐渐肥胖的倾向。（5）男性吸烟率一直维持在较高水平,1996年较1992年有明显下降,1996至1999年下降趋势不明显;女性吸烟率维持在较低水平,趋势平稳。结论：上海地区应重视吸烟和高血压的预防控制。     

Effect of doxazosin in mild to moderate hypertensive patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Diabetic patients often develop hypertension, and the presence of both hypertension and diabetes doubles the risk of death from coronary heart disease (CHD). Moreover, the presence and importance of abnormalities such as high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides levels as CHD risk factors in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus type 1 have been downplayed, while increasing evidence suggests that the management of type 1 patients should include control of dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia and an effective antihypertensive treatment able also to reduce risk factors for coronary artery events. In this study we assessed the antihypertensive and metabolic effects of doxazosin in hypertensive patients with type 1 diabetes. We show that the drug normalizes blood pressure, and while no improvement in glucose control was observed, it reduced total cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol as well as the HDL to total cholesterol ratio. The changes of the various parameters studied, including the calculated CHD risk score based on the Framingham equation, suggest that doxazosine can reduce the CHD risk for hypertensive type 1 patients. Received: 24 September 1997 / Accepted in revised form: 19 December 1997     

Search for an optimal atherogenic lipid risk profile: from the Framingham Study

Recent guidelines have targeted low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol for treatment of dyslipidemia. A lack of clear demarcation of potential coronary heart disease (CHD) cases solely on the basis of LDL cholesterol indicates the need to consider the dyslipidemic risk in the context of a lipid and risk factor profile. We prospectively examined the influence of individual lipids and their ratios on 20-year CHD development in 2,439 men and 2,812 women participating in the Framingham Offspring Study. The influence of the total/high-density (HDL) cholesterol ratio on CHD risk was examined in tertiles of LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels. During the 20-year period, 566 CHD events occurred in men and 327 events in women. The CHD risk increased stepwise two- to threefold in men and women from the first to third tertile of total/HDL cholesterol ratio, irrespective of the level of total or LDL cholesterol level. In men, the LDL cholesterol level reflected the lowest risk factor adjusted quintile 5 to quintile 1 relative risk (1.85), and the total/HDL cholesterol ratio predicted the greatest risk (relative risk 2.9). In women, LDL cholesterol imparted the highest risk of the individual lipids (relative risk 3.9), and this was not exceeded by the lipid ratio (relative risk 3.8). In conclusion, the levels of components of the total/HDL cholesterol ratio have little influence on its prediction of CHD. In men, elevated LDL need not be treated aggressively if the total/HDL cholesterol ratio is low. Conversely, modest elevations of LDL may warrant more aggressive treatment if the ratio is high. In women, the ratio is also a good CHD predictor, but a combination of a high ratio accompanied by high LDL cholesterol may warrant more aggressive therapy.     

不同性别冠心病危险因素与冠脉病变程度的相关性

目的:分析冠心病危险因素与冠状动脉病变程度的相关性及其性别差异。方法:入选2005年～2009年入院行冠状动脉造影术的患者1 786（男1 214,女572）例,记录性别、年龄、血压、总胆固醇（TC）、三酰甘油（TG）、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL-C）、尿酸（UA）、血糖、吸烟等指标,并计算Gensini积分。首先,根据Gensini积分将所有患者分成4个组,对各个组之间的各项危险因素分别进行比较分析。然后用Logistic回归分析法比较冠心病与各项危险因素之间的相关程度,最后通过性别分组再次行Logistic回归比较不同性别冠心病与各项危险因素之间的相关程度。结果:单因素分析发现随着Gensini积分的增高年龄、TC、LDL-C也增加,而HDL-C下降,但TG、UA在各组中无统计学差异,且各个小组中随着男性、吸烟者、高血压病、糖尿病比例的增加冠脉病变积分增高;多危险因素与冠状动脉造影诊断冠心病Logistic分析:糖尿病为冠心病最显著的独立危险因素,其他依次为吸烟、低HDL-C、高LDL-C、增龄、性别,而高血压病与高TC均无统计学意义。性别分组后,男性患者中吸烟为冠心病最显著的独立危险因素,其他依次为低HDL-C、高LDL-C、糖尿病、增龄;女性患者中糖尿病为最显著的独立危险因素,其次是低HDL-C、增龄,吸烟对女性冠心病的发生无显著性差异。结论:年龄的增加、TC的增加、LDL-C的增加、HDL-C的降低、高血压、糖尿病、吸烟等危险因素都会加重冠脉病变程度,其中糖尿病是冠心病最显著的危险因素,尤其在女性更为明显。     

Endogenous hormones and coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women

The association between serum levels of endogenous estrogens in postmenopausal women and the subsequent risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) was examined in a prospective case-control study nested within the New York University Women's Health Study (NYUWHS). The NYUWHS is a prospective cohort study of 14,274 healthy women enrolled between 1985 and 1991. A total of 99 women who were postmenopausal and free of cardiovascular disease at enrollment and who subsequently experienced CHD, defined as non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), fatal CHD, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), were matched 1:2 by baseline age, blood sampling date, and postmenopausal status to controls who remained free of CHD as of the date of diagnosis of the matching case. Biochemical analyses for total estradiol, estrone, percent free estradiol, percent estradiol bound to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and SHBG were performed on pre-diagnostic stored serum samples. Participants had not used any hormone medications in the 6 months prior to blood collection. In the model adjusting only for matching factors, the risk of CHD in the top tertile of calculated bioavailable estradiol was elevated compared with the bottom tertile (OR=2.10; 95% CI=1.13-3.90, P for trend=0.03), and the risk in the top tertile of SHBG was reduced (OR=0.50, 95% CI=0.28-0.92, P for trend<0.01). However, these associations disappeared after adjusting for baseline hypertension status, body mass index, and serum cholesterol levels. These findings suggest that circulating estradiol and SHBG are not associated with CHD risk in postmenopausal women beyond what can be explained by the variation in hypertension status, BMI, and cholesterol.     

Usefulness of the triglyceride-high-density lipoprotein versus the cholesterol-high-density lipoprotein ratio for predicting insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk (from the Framingham Offspring Cohort)

Increased triglycerides (TG) and decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are key metabolic abnormalities in patients with insulin resistance (IR) states, including diabetes mellitus. The TG/HDL cholesterol ratio was advocated as a simple clinical indicator of IR, but studies yielded inconsistent results. The total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio was widely used to assess lipid atherogenesis, but its utility for assessing IR or its associated coronary heart disease (CHD) risk was unknown. TG/HDL cholesterol and total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratios were related to IR (top quartile of the homeostasis model assessment-IR) in 3,014 patients (mean age 54 years; 55% women). Logistic regression was used to construct receiver-operator characteristic curves for predicting IR, with lipid ratios as predictors. Multivariable Cox regression was used to evaluate whether adjusting for lipid ratios attenuated the association of IR with CHD. Cross sectionally, age- and gender-adjusted correlations of IR were 0.46 with TG/HDL cholesterol ratio and 0.38 with total/HDL cholesterol ratio. IR prevalence increased across tertiles of lipid ratios (p <0.0001). The area under the receiver-operator characteristic curves for predicting IR with TG/HDL cholesterol ratio was 0.745, slightly higher than that for total/HDL cholesterol ratio (0.707; p <0.001 for comparison). On follow-up (mean 6.4 years), 112 patients experienced initial CHD events. IR was associated with CHD risk (multivariable-adjusted hazards ratio 2.71, 95% confidence interval 1.79 to 4.11), which remained significant even after adjustment for lipid ratios. In conclusion, our observations suggested that the TG/HDL cholesterol ratio was an imperfect surrogate for IR and its associated CHD risk, and it was only slightly better than the total/HDL cholesterol ratio for this purpose.     

Obesity increases the risk of development of atherosclerosis in elderly type 2 diabetic patients*

Background: Obesity has been suggested to have no effect on the rates of mortality from cerebro‐ and cardiovascular diseases in the elderly. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether obesity influences atherosclerotic risk factors in elderly diabetic patients. Methods: The relationships between body mass index (BMI) and representative atherosclerotic risk factors were investigated using data from patients with type 2 diabetes who were aged from 65 to 91 years (mean ± standard deviation, 72.3 ± 5.2 years). Results: BMI significantly correlated with systolic and diastolic arterial pressures and serum triglyceride, uric acid and sialic acid levels. BMI also showed significant negative correlations with duration of diabetes and serum HDL cholesterol levels. Multiple regression analysis using BMI as a target variable and age, sex, duration of diabetes, mean arterial pressure, serum uric acid and triglyceride as explanatory variables showed that BMI significantly correlated with arterial pressure and serum triglyceride level (R = 0.459). After adjustment for history of drug therapy for each disease (hypertension, dyslipidemia or hyperuricemia), BMI also significantly correlated with arterial pressure, serum triglyceride, HDL cholesterol and uric acid levels. In the subjects with BMI of 25 or over, the mean levels of systolic and diastolic arterial pressures, serum triglyceride and sialic acid were higher and the mean level of serum HDL cholesterol was lower, after adjustment for age and sex, than those in the subjects with BMI below 22. Conclusion: These results suggest that obesity is related to arterial pressure, blood lipid and uric acid levels and increases the risk of development of atheroclerosis in elderly diabetic patients.     

Sex and time differences in the associations of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol versus other lipid and lipoprotein factors in the prediction of cardiovascular death (The Rancho Bernardo Study)

Non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (total cholesterol [TC] minus HDL cholesterol) has been suggested as the preferred lipid fraction to predict cardiovascular disease. We compared the ability of lipids, lipoproteins, the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol (TC/HDL), and non-HDL cholesterol to predict fatal coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease in 1,386 women and 1,094 men (mean age 69 years). After 10 years, there were more deaths in men (n = 310) than women (n = 268), but the proportions of deaths attributed to CHD (23% and 25%, respectively) and cardiovascular disease (48% and 47%) were similar. In men, age-adjusted values for non-HDL cholesterol, TC/HDL ratio, and triglycerides each predicted a significantly increased risk of CHD and cardiovascular disease; none of these associations was independent of pack-years of smoking, systolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, body mass index, and physical activity. In women, age-adjusted non-HDL cholesterol levels did not predict CHD or cardiovascular disease events before or after adjusting for these covariates and for estrogen replacement therapy. In women, only the ratio of TC to HDL cholesterol predicted CHD and cardiovascular disease deaths independent of estrogen use and other risk factors. Observed associations were sensitive to time, being evident in women at 3 and 5 years, and lost thereafter, but not apparent before 10 years in men. Thus, non-HDL cholesterol is not superior to individual lipids, lipoproteins, or their ratios in the prediction of cardiovascular death in older adults.