Lipid profile of women qualifying for hypolipidaemic treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Death rates from coronary heart disease continue to rise in women despite a marked decrease in men for the past two decades. Our study aimed to evaluate essential risk factors in high-risk adult women. METHODS: Lipid profiles of 547 dyslipidaemic adult women aged 57.5 +/- 10.6 years (mean +/- standard deviation) were evaluated and stratified according to fasting plasma lipid levels. Classification of the cohort was performed based on triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and correlations between TG and HDL-C were estimated. RESULTS: Patients with TG > or =150 mg/dl had lower HDL-C levels compared to those with TG <150 mg/dl (p < 0.001). Patients with HDL-C <40 mg/dl had lower TC levels and higher TG levels compared to those with HDL-C > or =40 mg/dl (p = 0.012 and p < 0.001, respectively). In the cohort and the subgroups an inverse correlation between TG and HDL-C was observed (r = -0.428, slope = -0.048, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The expected inverse correlation between fasting high TG and low HDL levels was confirmed. The novelty of the study is that this correlation persists even in the case of low fasting TG levels.

Influence of triglycerides on other plasma lipids in middle-aged men intended for hypolipidaemic treatment.

INTRODUCTION: The present investigation aimed to evaluate the influence of serum triglycerides (TG) on other plasma lipids in male patients less than 65 years of age intended for hypolipidaemic treatment. METHODS: Lipid profiles of a cohort of 412 dyslipidaemic male patients aged 53.4 +/- 7.7 years (mean +/- standard deviation) were evaluated. Patients were stratified in accordance with their fasting plasma lipid levels. They were divided into multiple groups on the basis of serum TG (> or = 150 or < 150 mg/dl) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C > or = 40 or < 40 mg/dl). RESULTS: Patients with TG > or = 150 mg/dl had higher total cholesterol and lower HDL-C levels compared with those with TG < 150 mg/dl (p = 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively). Patients with HDL-C < 40 mg/dl had similar total cholesterol levels and higher TG levels compared to those with HDL-C > or = 40 mg/dl (p < 0.001). In all patients, an inverse correlation between TG and HDL-C was found (r = -0.286, p < 0.001). Additionally, HDL-C levels were inversely correlated with the TG concentration in patients with TG < 150 mg/dl (r = -0.135, p = 0.042) and TG > or = 150 mg/dl (r = -0.188, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: An inverse correlation between TG and HDL-C levels seems to exist in the sampled population, revealing a close link between the metabolic pathways for TG and HDL-C. This inverse correlation appears to persist even in patients with low fasting TG levels.

Fasting serum triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in patients intended to be treated for dyslipidemia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the influence of serum triglycerides (TG) on other plasma lipids in patients to be treated for dyslipidemia. METHODOLOGY: Lipid profiles of a cohort of 801 patients (487 males and 314 females) aged 57 +/- 9 years (mean +/- SD) were evaluated. Patients were stratified according to their plasma lipid levels. They were divided into various groups on the basis of serum TG (> or = 150 or < 150 mg/dL) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (> or = 40 or < 40 mg/dL). RESULTS: Patients with TG > or = 150 mg/dL had a higher total cholesterol and lower HDL-C levels compared with those with TG < 150 mg/dL, (p < 0.001). Patients with HDL-C < 40 mg/dL had a lower serum total cholesterol and higher TG compared with those with HDL-C > or = 40 mg/dL (p = 0.011 and p < 0.0001, respectively). In all patients as well as in the subgroups, an inverse correlation between TG and HDL-C was found (r = -0.377, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although, the metabolic pathway for TG and HDL-C is closely linked, an inverse correlation between TG and HDL-C levels seems to exist in the entire sampled population. This correlation also appears to persist in fasting patients with low levels of TG.

Effect of baseline levels on response of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to hypolipidemic treatment.

The response of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to hypolipidemic monotherapy with diet, statins, fibrates, or nicotinic acid was investigated prospectively in 801 patients with dyslipidemia. We hypothesized that the behavior of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol after treatment would depend on its baseline levels and the therapy used.