LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and risk of all-cause mortality in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage

Association of atherosclerosis indices, serum uric acid to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and triglycerides-glucose index with hypertension: A gender-disaggregated analysis

This study assessed the association between atherosclerosis indices, serum uric acid to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (UHR) and triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and the prevalence of hypertension among MASHAD cohort participants. In this cross-sectional study, the participants were divided into hypertensive and non-hypertensive subjects. The atherosclerosis indices, UHR and TyG index of the two groups were compared. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the associations of these indices with hypertension in both sex. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to establish the cut-off values for differentiating hypertensive from non-hypertensive subjects. p-values < .05 were considered statistically significant. Data related to 9675 subjects (3035 hypertensive and 6640 non-hypertensive) were analyzed. The mean values of atherosclerosis indices, UHR and TyG index were significantly higher (p < .001) in the hypertensives compared to non-hypertensives. After adjustment for potential confounders, among men, the TyG index (OR = 1.360; 95% CI: 1.210-1.530; p < .001) remained an independent factor for hypertension. Among women, atherogenic index of plasma (OR = 1.005; 95% CI: 1.002-1.007; p < .001), UHR (OR = 1.043; 95% CI: 1.026-1.060; p < .001) and TyG index (OR = 1.519; 95% CI: 1.376-1.677; p < .001) remained independent factors for hypertension. ROC curve analysis revealed that compare to the other indices, TyG index had a better predictive value for hypertension in both sex, especially in women.

Risk factors for carotid plaque formation in type 2 diabetes mellitus

OBJECT

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at higher risk of developing atherosclerosis. Previous studies have analyzed the factors associated with diabetic macrovascular disease, although whether these factors are applicable to T2DM patients with carotid atherosclerosis remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for the formation of carotid atherosclerotic plaque in hospitalized T2DM patients and to provide a theoretical basis for early prevention and treatment of carotid atherosclerosis in these patients.

METHODS

A total of 949 patients with T2DM were included in the study. Carotid ultrasound identified 531 patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaque. The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), blood glucose, liver and kidney function, blood lipid profile, islet function, and other indicators were measured at the same time to identify the risk factors and predictive significance of T2DM carotid plaque.

RESULTS

The proportions of men, diabetes nephropathy (DN) and hypertension in T2DM patients with carotid plaque are higher than those without carotid plaque(P < 0.05). Age, duration of diabetes, WHR, Postprandial glucose (PPG), lipoprotein (a) [Lip (a)], carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in T2DM patients with carotid plaque were higher than those without plaque (P < 0.05). Age, WHR, duration of diabetes, hypertension, males, and Lip (a) were independent risk factors for T2DM patients with carotid plaque. Age, WHR, duration of diabetes, and Lip (a) had a higher AUC to predict T2DM with carotid artery plaque (AUC: 0.750, 0.640, 0.678, 0.552 respectively; P all < 0.001). After constructing the logit (P) value of the above risk factors, the area under the ROC curve was 0.816 (0.789-0.842, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Age, WHR, duration of diabetes, hypertension, males, and Lip (a) levels are the main risk factors for the formation of carotid plaque in T2DM patients. Combining the above risk factors provides a better prediction of carotid plaque formation in T2DM.

Low LDL-C/HDL-C Ratio is Associated with Poor Clinical Outcome After Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Retrospective Analysis of Multicenter, Prospective Cohort Data in China

BACKGROUND

The association between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio and the clinical outcomes of acute intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) remains unclear. In this study, we attempt to investigate whether low LDL-C/HDL-C ratio is associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with ICH.

METHODS

The database was collected from a multicenter, prospective, observational cohort study, conducted in 13 hospitals in Beijing from January 2014 to September 2016. A total of 1,964 patients with ICH were initially screened in our database. Next, we selected patients with admission serum lipid information for retrospective analysis. Patients were categorized into four groups based on LDL-C/HDL-C ratio quartiles. The main outcomes were 30-day and 90-day poor functional outcome, which is defined as modified Rankin Scale score of 3 to 6, and 90-day all-cause death. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and 30-day or 90-day poor functional outcome. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were used to assess the association between LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and 90-day all-cause death. Restricted cubic splines were used to explore the nonlinear association between LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and the outcome of patients with ICH.

RESULTS

A total of 491 patients with spontaneous ICH were finally enrolled in our study. The mean age was 57.6 years old, and 72.1% (357/491) were men. After adjustment for confounders, patients in the lowest LDL-C/HDL-C quartile (< 1.74) had a significantly higher risk of 30-day and 90-day poor functional outcome compared with those in the highest quartile (> 3.16; 30-day: adjusted odds ratio 3.61, 95% confidence interval 1.68-7.72; 90-day: adjusted odds ratio 2.82, 95% confidence interval 1.33-5.95). Restricted cubic splines depicted a nonlinear association between LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and 90-day poor functional outcomes, indicating LDL-C/HDL-C ratio of 3.1-3.5 was correlated with better 90-day functional outcome. However, no significant correlation was found between low LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and 90-day all-cause death.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (< 1.74) is independently associated with an increased risk of poor functional outcome in patients with ICH. In the population of patients whom we studied, there is a nonlinear association between LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and 90-day poor functional outcome, and patients with an LDL-C/HDL-C ratio of 3.1 to 3.5 tend to have the lowest risk of 90-day poor functional outcome.

High Plasma Fibrinogen Level Elevates the Risk of Cardiac Complications Following Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND

Cardiac complications are related to poor prognosis after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This study aims to predict the cardiac complications arising from small intracranial hematoma at ultraearly stage.

METHODS

The data of this work were derived from the Risk Stratification and Minimally Invasive Surgery in Acute ICH Patients study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03862729). This work included patients with ICH but without brain herniation, as confirmed by a brain computed tomography scan within 48 hours of symptom onset. Every Patient's information recorded at the emergent department, including clinical, laboratory, electrocardiogram, and medical records, was derived from the electronic data capture. Cardiac complications were defined as the occurrence of myocardial damage, arrhythmias, and ischemic electrocardiogram changes during hospitalization. Variables associated with cardiac complications were filtrated by univariate and multivariate regression analyses. Independent risk factors were used to form the early predictive model. The restricted cubic splines were employed to investigate the nonlinear associations in a more sophisticated and scholarly manner.

RESULTS

A total of 587 ICH patients were enrolled in this work, including 72 patients who suffered from cardiac complications after ICH. Out of the 78 variables, 24 were found to be statistically significant in the univariate logistic regression analysis. These significant variables were then subjected to multivariate logistic regression analysis and utilized for constructing risk models. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed high plasma fibrinogen (FIB) level [odds ratio (OR) per standard deviation (SD) 1.327, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.037-1.697; P = 0. 024)] and older age (OR per SD 1.777, 95% CI 1.344-2.349; P ＜0.001) were associated with a higher incidence of cardiac complications after ICH. High admission pulse rate (OR 0.620, 95% CI 0.451-0.853; P = 0. 003) was considered a protective factor for cardiac complications after ICH. In the restricted cubic spline regression model, FIB and cardiac complications following ICH were positively correlated and almost linearly (P for nonlinearity = 0.073). The reference point for FIB in predicting cardiac complications after ICH was 2.64 g/L.

CONCLUSIONS

Emergent factors, including plasma FIB level, age, and pulse rate, might be independently associated with cardiac complications after ICH, which warrants attention in the context of treatment.

Association of the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in patients with coronary heart disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

Although dyslipidemia increases the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its adverse prognosis, the association between the ratio of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with CHD has not been adequately demonstrated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the role of LDL-C/HDL-C in the risk of MACCE after PCI in patients with CHD.

METHODS

In this large cohort observational study, we enrolled 2226 patients with CHD treated with PCI. LDL-C/HDL-C was considered as an exposure variable and MACCE was considered as an outcome variable. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression models and subgroup analyses were used to assess the relationship between LDL-C/HDL-C and the risk of MACCE.

RESULTS

A total of 2226 patients (mean age: 60.02 years; 68.00% male) were included in the analysis, and 373 patients suffered MACC. Patients who developed MACCE had higher levels of LDL-C/HDL-C compared to patients who did not develop MACCE [(2.79 ± 1.15) vs (2.64 ± 1.09), p = 0.023]. Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed a correlation between LDL-C/HDL-C and the risk of MACCE (OR: 1.121, 95% CI: 1.019-1.233, p = 0.019). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that higher levels of LDL-C/HDL-C remained strongly associated with a higher risk of MACCE after stepwise adjustment for confounding variables [Model 4: T3 vs T1, OR: 1.455, 95% CI: 1.095-1.933, p = 0.010; per unit increase, OR: 1.158, 95% CI: 1.047-1.281, p = 0.004]. Further subgroup analysis showed that the association between LDL-C/HDL-C and MACCE risk remained in the subgroup ≤60 years, male, without diabetes, and with hypertension (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Higher LDL-C/HDL-C was closely associated with a higher risk of MACCE after PCI in patients with CHD.

Role of LDL-C level alteration in increased mortality risks in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Current studies indicate a contradictory relationship between decreased mortality risks of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) and elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Thus, this meta-analysis was designed to examine the involvement of high LDL-C levels in a lower mortality risk of sICH patients.

Methods

PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched up to the date of August 3rd, 2022. Pooled odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated for the higher vs. lower serum LDL-C level groups. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also carried out. Egger's test was applied to detect any potential publication bias.

Results

Of 629 citations reviewed, 8 eligible cohort studies involving 83,013 patients were enrolled in this meta-analysis. Compared with lower serum LDL-C levels containing patients, higher serum LDL-C patients exhibited significantly decreased risks of 3-month mortality (OR: 0.51; 95%CI: 0.33-0.78; I² = 47.8%); however, the LDL-C level change wasn't significantly associated with in-hospital mortality risks (OR: 0.92; 95%CI: 0.63-1.33; I² = 91.4%) among sICH subjects. All studies included were classified as high-quality investigations.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis suggests a higher LDL-C level may decrease the mortality risk in sICH patients. LDL-C level increase is inversely associated with the 3-month mortality risks in these patients but not significantly correlated with the in-hospital mortality risks. Further well-designed prospective studies with extended follow-up periods are needed to confirm these findings and explore underlying cross-talks.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022318318, identifier: PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022318318.

Associations of HDL-C/LDL-C with myocardial infarction, all-cause mortality, haemorrhagic stroke and ischaemic stroke: a longitudinal study based on 384 093 participants from the UK Biobank

OBJECTIVE

To explore the correlations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)/low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with myocardial infarction (MI), all-cause mortality, haemorrhagic stroke and ischaemic stroke, as well as the joint association of genetic susceptibility and HDL-C/LDL-C with the MI risk.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study selected 384 093 participants from the UK Biobank (UKB) database. First, restricted cubic splines indicated non-linear associations of HDL-C/LDL-C with MI, ischaemic stroke and all-cause mortality. Second, a Cox proportional-hazards model indicated that compared with HDL-C/LDL-C=0.4-0.6, HDL-C/LDL-C<0.4 and >0.6 were correlated with all-cause mortality (HR=0.97 for HDL-C/LDL-C<0.4, 95% CI=0.939 to 0.999, p<0.05; HR=1.21 for HDL-C/LDL-C>0.6, 95% CI=1.16 to 1.26, p<0.001) after full multivariable adjustment. HDL-C/LDL-C<0.4 was correlated with a higher MI risk (HR=1.36, 95% CI=1.28 to 1.44, p<0.05) and ischaemic stroke (HR=1.12, 95% CI=1.02 to 1.22, p<0.05) after full multivariable adjustment. HDL-C/LDL-C>0.6 was associated with higher risk haemorrhagic stroke risk after full multivariable adjustment (HR=1.25, 95% CI=1.03 to 1.52, p<0.05). Third, after calculating the coronary heart disease Genetic Risk Score (CHD-GRS) of each participant, the Cox proportional-hazards model indicated that compared with low CHD-GRS and HDL-C/LDL-C=0.4-0.6, participants with a combination of high CHD-GRS and HDL-C/LDL-C<0.4 were associated with the highest MI risk (HR=2.45, 95% CI=2.15 to 2.8, p<0.001). Participants with HDL-C/LDL-C<0.4 were correlated with a higher MI risk regardless of whether they had a high, intermediate or low CHD-GRS.

CONCLUSION

In UKB participants, HDL-C/LDL-C ratio of 0.4-0.6 was correlated with lower MI risk, all-cause mortality, haemorrhagic stroke and ischaemic stroke. Participants with HDL-C/LDL-C<0.4 were correlated with a higher MI risk regardless of whether they had a high, intermediate or low CHD-GRS. The clinical significance and impact of HDL-C/LDL-C need to be further verified in future studies.

The association between the non-HDL-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol ratio and 28-day mortality in sepsis patients: a cohort study

The focus of this study was to explore the association between the non-HDL-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol (non-HDLc/HDLc) ratio and mortality in septic patients. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with sepsis in the eICU Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD) from 208 distinct ICUs across the United States between 2014 and 2015 that explored. All-cause mortality within 28 days after ICU admission. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the risk of death. Of the 724 patients with a median age of 68 years, 43 (5.94%) died within 28 days after ICU admission. When the non-HDLc/HDLc ratio was < 3.3, the mortality rate decreased with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.60 (95% CI 0.37–0.99, P = 0.043) for every 1 increment in the non-HDLc/HDLc ratio. When the non-HDLc/HDLc ratio was ≥ 3.3, the mortality rate increased with an adjusted OR of 1.28 (95% CI 1.01–1.62, P = 0.039) for every one increment in the non-HDLc/HDLc ratio. For patients with sepsis, the association between the non-HDLc/HDLc ratio and the 28-day mortality risk was a U-shaped curve. A higher or lower non-HDLc/HDLc ratio was associated with an increased risk of 28-day mortality.

Alexithymia is associated with increased all-cause mortality risk in men, but not in women: A 10-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVE

Alexithymia is associated with various mental as well as physical disorders. Some evidence also suggested high alexithymia to increase mortality risk, but these results are few and based on specific sample compositions. We aimed to investigate the impact of alexithymia on mortality risk in a large population based cohort. In addition, we sought to elucidate the effects of the subfactors of alexithymia and sex differences.

METHODS

In a sample of N = 1380 individuals from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP), we investigated the hazard-ratio (HR) of alexithymia as obtained by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) on all-cause mortality over an average observation time of 10 years. Sex-by-TAS-20-interactions as well as sex-stratified analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Alexithymia was significantly associated with enhanced mortality risk (HR = 1.033; 95%-CI = 1.008-1.058); p = 0.009). While sex-by-TAS-20 interactions remained insignificant, sex-stratified analyses showed that this effect was only significant in men (HR = 1.050; 95%-CI = 1.022-1.079; p ≤ 0.001), but not in women (HR: 1.008; 95%-CI = 0.960-1.057; p = 0.76). The effect was validated for the "difficulties identifying feelings" (DIF) and "difficulties describing feelings" (DDF) subfactors of the TAS-20.

CONCLUSION

Our study supports and extents previous findings by indicating that mortality risk enhancing effects of alexithymia are specific to male subjects and validated for the DIF and DDF facets. Socioeconomic, clinical and metabolic factors were associated with this relationship. Finding that the impact of alexithymia remains stable in the fully adjusted models suggests that yet unidentified additional factors must be considered.

Dynamic change of heart rate in the acute phase and clinical outcomes after intracerebral hemorrhage: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

Dynamic change of heart rate in the acute phase and clinical outcomes after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the associations of heart rate trajectories and variability with functional outcome and mortality in patients with acute ICH.

METHODS

This prospective study was conducted among 332 patients with acute ICH. Latent mixture modeling was used to identify heart rate trajectories during the first 72 h of hospitalization after ICH onset. Mean and coefficient of variation of heart rate measurements were calculated. The study outcomes included unfavorable functional outcome, ordinal shift of modified Rankin Scale score, and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

We identified 3 distinct heart rate trajectory patterns (persistent-high, moderate-stable, and low-stable). During 3-month follow-up, 103 (31.0%) patients had unfavorable functional outcome and 46 (13.9%) patients died. In multivariable-adjusted model, compared with patients in low-stable trajectory, patients in persistent-high trajectory had the highest odds of poor functional outcome (odds ratio 15.06, 95% CI 3.67-61.78). Higher mean and coefficient of variation of heart rate were also associated with increased risk of unfavorable functional outcome (P trend < 0.05), and the corresponding odds ratios (95% CI) comparing two extreme tertiles were 4.69 (2.04-10.75) and 2.43 (1.09-5.39), respectively. Likewise, similar prognostic effects of heart rate dynamic changes on high modified Rankin Scale score and all-cause mortality were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Persistently high heart rate and higher variability in the acute phase were associated with increased risk of unfavorable functional outcome in patients with acute ICH.

A U-shaped association between the LDL-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol ratio and all-cause mortality in elderly hypertensive patients: a prospective cohort study

Background

The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein- cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C) ratio is an excellent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, previous studies linking the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio to mortality have yielded inconsistent results and been limited by short follow-up periods. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine whether the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio could be an effective predictor of all-cause mortality in elderly hypertensive patients.

Methods

A total of 6941 hypertensive patients aged 65 years or older who were not treated with lipid-lowering drugs were selected from the Chinese Hypertension Registry for analysis. The endpoint of the study was all-cause mortality. The relationship between the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and all-cause mortality was determined using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression, smoothing curve fitting (penalized spline method), subgroup analysis and Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis.

Results

During a median follow-up of 1.72 years, 157 all-cause deaths occurred. A U-shaped association was found between the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and all-cause mortality. Patients were divided according to the quintiles of the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio. Compared to the reference group (Q3: 1.67–2.10), patients with both lower (Q1 and Q2) and higher (Q4 and Q5) LDL-C/HDL-C ratios had higher all-cause mortality (< 1.67: HR 1.81, 95% CI: 1.08–3.03; ≥2.10: HR 2.00, 95% CI: 1.18–3.39). Compared with the lower and higher LDL-C/HDL-C ratio groups, patients with LDL-C/HDL-C ratios of 1.67–2.10 had a significantly higher survival probability (log-rank P = 0.038).

Conclusions

The results suggest that there is a U-shaped association between the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and all-cause mortality. Both lower and higher LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were associated with increased all-cause mortality in elderly hypertensive patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12944-020-01413-5.

Reduction in the Ratio of Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol to Highdensity Lipoprotein Cholesterol is Associated with Increased Risks of Hemorrhagic Transformation in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is a potentially serious complication in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Whether the ratio of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C) is associated with HT remains unclear.

METHODS

Ischemic stroke patients within 7 days of stroke onset from January 2016 to November 2017 were included in this study. Lipid profiles were measured within 24h after admission. HT was determined by a second computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging within 7 days after admission. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between LDL-C/HDL-C and HT.

RESULTS

We enrolled 1239 patients with AIS (788 males; mean age, 64 ± 15 years), of whom 129 (10.4%) developed HT. LDL-C/HDL-C was significantly lower on admission in patients with HT than those without HT (2.00 ± 0.89 vs. 2.25 ± 1.02, P=0.009). The unadjusted odds ratio (OR) of low LDL-C/HDL-C for HT was 2.07 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42-3.01, P＜0.001). After adjustment for possible confounders, lower LDL-C/HDL-C (≤1.52) was significantly associated with HT (OR 1.53, 95% CI: 1.02-2.31, P=0.046). Similar results were observed between lower LDL-C (≤ 4 mmol/L) and HT (OR 4.17, 95% CI: 1.25-13.90, P=0.02). However, no significant association was found between HT and high HDL-C, low triglycerides or low total cholesterol.

CONCLUSION

Lower LDL-C/HDL-C and LDL-C were significantly associated with increased risk of HT after AIS. Further investigations are warranted to confirm these findings and then optimize lipid management in stroke patients with lower LDL/HDL-C or LDL-C.

Circulating neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio at admission predicts the long-term outcome in acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury patients

Background

The prognostic value of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) for the outcome of acute cervical traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) patients has rarely been studied by now throughout the world.

Methods

We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study to evaluate the prognostic value of NLR from peripheral whole blood count in patients with acute cervical tSCI. Patients within 6 h of acute cervical tSCI treated between Dec 2008 and May 2018 in Huashan Hospital of Fudan University were enrolled. Outcomes of patients with tSCI were assessed using American spinal injury association Impairment Scale (AIS). 6-month outcomes were dichotomized into poor outcome group (AIS A to C) and good outcome group (AIS D and E). Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the independent predictors of 6-month outcome. Two prediction models based on admission characteristics were built to evaluate the prognostic value of NLR. The discriminative ability of predictive models was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC).

Results

A total of 377 patients were identified from our single center in China PR. Multivariate analysis showed that age, AIS grade at admission, NLR (p < 0.001) and coagulopathy (p = 0.003) were independent predictors of the 6-months outcome for acute cervical tSCI patients. The model combing NLR and standard variables (AUC = 0.944; 95% CI, 0.923–0.964) showed a more favorable prognostic value than that without NLR (AUC = 0.841; 95% CI, 0.798–0.885) in terms of 6-month outcome.

Conclusions

NLR is firstly identified as an independent predictor of the 6-month outcome in acute cervical tSCI patients worldwide. The prognostic value of NLR is favorable, and a high NLR is associated with poor outcome in patients with acute cervical tSCI.

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in early assessment of disease severity and outcome in patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to the ICU

BACKGROUND

Patients with acute pancreatitis usually exhibit dyslipidemia and oxidative stress. However, the significance of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level and the HDL-C/LDL-C ratio (H/L ratio) as markers for disease progression remain unknown.

AIM

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of HDL-C levels, LDL-C levels and the H/L ratio as markers of disease progression in patients admitted to the intensive cate unit with acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary critical care center in China. Plasma HDL-C and LDL-C levels were measured in 166 patients with acute pancreatitis. The associations between HDL-C, LDL-C, H/L ratio, as well as other inflammatory index and mortality, were analyzed. Multivariate cox analysis based on two models was used to determine the independent prognostic factor. Predictive ability of in-hospital mortality for variables was determined using the receiver operating characteristics curves.

RESULTS

Significantly higher H/L ratios at admission were observed in patients with acute pancreatitis who died compared with survivors (0.93 vs. 0.64, p < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve for H/L ratio-based prediction of mortality was 0.658. When clinical confounders were included in multivariable cox regression analysis, the association was preserved (Model A HR = 1.587, p = 0.011; Model B HR = 1.332, p = 0.032). The mortality risk in different groups defined by an H/L ratio cutoff value was significantly different, based on survival curve analysis.

CONCLUSION

The H/L ratio at the time of admission to the ICU appears to be a biomarker of disease progression in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Association between Serum Lipid and Hematoma Expansion after Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Chinese Patients

OBJECTIVES

Although several studies have shown that interventions to lower blood lipid concentration may reduce the risk of coronary arterial disease and ischemic stroke, the correlation between serum lipid levels and hemorrhagic stroke remains controversial. To clarify any possible association between serum lipid and hematoma expansion, we examined various serum lipid indices in patients with and without early hematoma expansion.

METHODS

Data of 572 intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients from the cerebral small vessel disease cohort of Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who finished the baseline brain computed tomography (CT) examination within 6 h post-ictus and the follow-up CT within 48 h after initial CT were included in the study. Hematoma expansion was delimited as an enlargement of hemorrhage volume over 33% or 12.5 mL between baseline and subsequent CT. Both uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the association between early hematoma growth and various serum lipid indices, including triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-HDL-C, ratios of LDL-C/HDL-C and LDL-C/TC, as well as other demographic and clinical features.

RESULTS

Out of 157 patients included in the analysis, hematoma growth occurred in 45 (28.7%). Only higher baseline systolic blood pressure was found to be correlated with an increased risk of hematoma growth based on both univariate (odds ratio [OR] 1.014, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002-1.026, P = .024) and multivariate logistic regression analyses (OR 1.022, 95%CI: 1.008-1.037, P = .003). No associations were detected between the various serum lipid indices examined and other clinical features with a likelihood of early hematoma growth between groups or within various subgroups defined by different characteristics including age, gender, baseline Glasgow Coma Scale score, systolic blood pressure, intraventricular extension, and hematoma location.

CONCLUSIONS

No association between various indices of serum lipid and hematoma growth was identified among patients and subgroups with spontaneous ICH in the Chinese population; these findings may help to guide lipid management after ICH. However, further multi-centered, larger scale studies are expected to verify our results.

Low density lipoprotein cholesterol values and outcome of stroke patients: influence of previous aspirin therapy

Background: The link between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and stroke risk remains controversial and few studies have evaluated the effect of LDL-C after stroke survival.Aims: We assessed the hypothesis proposing the effect of LDL-C on the outcome of stroke patients under the influence of previous Aspirin Therapy.Methods: Associations between LDL-C and outcomes. The effect of LDL cholesterol on stoke outcome was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier methodology, log-rank test, Cox proportional hazard models and Bootstrap Analysis.Results: In a cohort of 342 cases, we observed that among stroke patients with no record of previous aspirin therapy LDL-C levels within recommended range (nLDL-C) are associated to a poor overall survival on (p < 0.001, log-rank test) leading to a 4-fold increased mortality risk in both timeframes of 12 (HR 4.45, 95% CI 1.55-12.71; p = 0.004) or 24 months (HR 4.13, 95%CI 1.62-10.50;p = 0.003) after the first event of stroke. Moreover, modelling the risk of a second event after the first stroke in the timeframe of 24 months demonstrated a predictive capacity for nLDL-C plasmatic levels (HR 3.94, 95%CI 1.55-10.05; p = 0.004) confirmed by Bootstrap analysis (p = 0.003; 1000 replications). In a further step, the inclusion of LDL-C in simulating models equations to predict the risk of a second event in the timeframe of 12 months increased nearly 20% the predictive ability (c-index from 0.763 to 0.956).Conclusion: A worse outcome was seen in stroke patients with normal levels of LDLC, but this finding was restricted to patients not under previous aspirin therapy.

Triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholestrol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratios are predictors of cardiovascular risk in Iranian adults: Evidence from a population-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The superiority of TG/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios in predicting CVD risk is a matter of debates. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare TG/HDL-C and LDL-C to HDL-C ratios in predicting the risk of CVD events.

METHODS

In a population-based cross-sectional study, 567 representative participants aged 40 years or older were entered in the study in Babol, North of Iran. The demographic data, anthropometric measures, and the cardio metabolic risk factors were measured. The individual risk of CVD events was assessed by ACC/AHA risk model. ROC analysis was applied to estimate the diagnostic accuracy and the optimal cut-off points of TG/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios.

RESULTS

The AUC of TG/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were rather similar and both parameters significantly predicted CVD risk in men comparably, and TG/HDL-C at optimal cutoff point of 3.6 produced 75% sensitivity and 39% specificity. However,in women TG/HDL-C with AUC of 0.65( p=0.091) at optimal cutoff value of 3.4 produced a sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 51%. The LDL-C/HDL-C ratio had no discriminative ability in predicting CVD risk in women. The adjusted OR of TG/HDL-C at 2nd quartile was significant (OR=3.22, 95% CI:1.25-8.29) and a greater association was found with 3rd and 4rth quartiles.

CONCLUSION

Both TG/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios comparably predict CVD risk in men, whereas in women only TG/ HDL-C is a significant predictor but not LDL-C/HDL-C.

Homocysteine, interleukin-1β, and fasting blood glucose levels as prognostic markers for diabetes mellitus complicated with cerebral infarction and correlated with carotid intima-media thickness

Diabetes mellitus complicated with cerebral infarction (DMCI) has a high incidence and disability rate. Therefore, identification of biomarkers for the early prediction of the development and progression of cerebral infarction (CI) is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of this disease. The roles of serum homocysteine (Hey), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and fasting blood glucose (FBG) in DMCI and their correlations with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) were explored. A total of 124 patients with DMCI (DMCI group) and 103 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) (DM group) admitted to the People's Hospital of Liuhe District of Nanjing were enrolled in this study. A further 100 healthy controls undergoing physical examinations during the same period (HC group) were also enrolled. CIMT value was detected by carotid artery ultrasound. Hey and FBG levels were determined by a fully automatic biochemical analyzer. The IL-1β level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The levels of Hey, IL-1β, and FBG and the CIMT value in the DMCI and DM groups were significantly higher than those in the HC group (P<0.001). The levels and the value in the DMCI group were significantly higher than those in the DM group (P<0.001). Hey, IL-1β, and FBG levels were positively correlated with CIMT value (r=0.542, P<0.001; r=0.522, P<0.001; r=0.402, P<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed that the sensitivity and specificity of Hey for diagnosing DMCI were 86.29 and 80.58%; those of IL-1β were 68.55 and 86.41%; those of FBG were 69.35 and 88.35%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), Hey, IL-1β, FBG, and CIMT were independent risk factors for DMCI (P<0.05). In conclusion, patients with DMCI have severe atherosclerosis. Hey, IL-1β, and FBG are involved in the development and progression of DMCI, so they can be used as predictive markers for the disease. Hey, IL-1β, FBG, and CIMT are independent risk factors for patients with DMCI.

Comparative analysis of the serum proteome profiles of thyroid cancer: An initial focus on the lipid profile

The serum lipid profile and clinical outcomes of cancer patients are commonly correlated in a wide range of carcinomas. However, few studies have investigated the serum lipid profile of patients with thyroid cancer (TC). The present study therefore aimed to analyze the lipid profiles of patients with TC. The serum proteomes of 31 participants with stage I-IV TC were screened using Orbitrap Q Exactive Plus. Analytical data collected between November 1, 2013 and November 11, 2018 from the laboratory information system included the total cholesterol (CHO), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), lipoprotein (a) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels that were used to validate the screening results. A total of 3875 outpatients were enrolled in this study. A number of 17 differentially expressed proteins were identified. An Ingenuity pathway analysis identified activation of the liver X receptor/retinoid X receptor (LXR/RXR) activation, which is a crucial pathway involved in lipid metabolism. The results demonstrated that the total CHO levels were significantly different between patients with TC and control groups, both in men and women. In women, the levels of TG, HDL-C, Apo A1 and LDL-C/HDL-C were significantly different between patients with TC and control groups (all P<0.05). Higher concentrations of TG and LDL-C/HDL-C were observed in the cancer group compared with the control group. However, lower levels of Apo A1 and HDL-C were observed in women from the cancer group compared with the control group. The results from the present study revealed the presence of a disordered lipid profile in patients with TC. The molecular mechanism underlying the association between lipid metabolism and cancer requires further investigation and may be used to develop novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in human cancers.

Prognostic Significance of Serum Magnesium in Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage Patients

Background:

Experimental animal model studies have shown neuroprotective properties of magnesium. We assessed the relationship between admission magnesium and admission stroke severity and 3-month clinical outcomes in patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

Methods:

The present study included 323 patients with acute ICH who were prospectively identified. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle risk factors, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, hematoma volumes, and other clinical features were recorded at baseline for all participants. Patients were divided into three groups based on the admission magnesium levels (T1: <0.84; T2: 0.84-0.91; T3: =0.91 mmol/L). Clinical outcomes were death, poor functional outcome (defined by modified rankin ccale [mRS] scores 3-6) at 3 months.

Results:

After 3-month follow-up, 40 (12.4%) all-cause mortality and 132 (40.9%) poor functional outcome were documented. Median NIHSS scores for each tertile (T1 to T3) were 8.0, 5.5, and 6.0, and median hematoma volumes were 10.0, 8.05, and 12.4 ml, respectively. There was no significant association between baseline NIHSS scores (P=0.176) and hematoma volumes (P=0.442) in T3 and T1 in multivariable linear regression models. Compared with the patients in T1, those in T3 were associated with less frequency of all-cause mortality [adjusted odds ratio (OR), 0.10; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.02-0.54; P-trend=0.010] but not poor functional outcome (adjusted OR, 1.80; 95%CI, 0.71-4.56; P-trend=0.227) after adjustment for potential confounders.

Conclusion:

Elevated admission serum magnesium level is associated with lower odds of mortality but not poor functional outcome at 3 months in patients with acute ICH.

Diagnostic and prognostic significance of mRNA expressions of apolipoprotein A and C family genes in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common and lethal malignancies worldwide. Apolipoproteins (APOs) have been reported increasingly for their relationships with tumors. We aim at exploring the potential relationships of apolipoprotein A (APOA) and apolipoprotein C (APOC) family members with HCC.

METHODS

A data set, containing 212 hepatitis B virus-related HCC patients, was used for analysis. The diagnostic and prognostic ability of APOA and APOC family genes was figured out. Risk score models and nomograms were developed for the HCC prognosis prediction. Moreover, molecular mechanism exploration were identified biological processes and metabolic pathways of these genes involved in. Validation analysis was carried out using online website.

RESULTS

APOA1, APOC1, APOC3, and APOC4 showed robust diagnosis significance (all P < 0.05). APOA4, APOC3, and APOC4 were associated with the overall survival (OS) while APOA4 and APOC4 were linked to recurrence-free survival (RFS, all P ≤ 0.05). Risk score models and nomograms had the advantage of predicting OS and RFS for HCC. Molecular mechanism exploration indicated that these genes were involved in the steroid metabolic process, the PPAR signaling pathway, and fatty acid metabolism. Besides that, validation analysis revealed that APOC1 and APOC4 had an association with OS; and APOC3 was associated with OS and RFS (all P ≤ 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

APOA1, APOC1, APOC3, and APOC4 are likely to be potential diagnostic biomarkers and APOC3 and APOC4 are likely to be potential prognostic biomarkers for hepatitis B virus-related HCC. They may be involved in the steroid metabolic process, PPAR signaling pathway, and fatty acid metabolism.

Correlations of Acute Cerebral Hemorrhage Complicated with Stress Ulcer Bleeding with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II Score, Endothelin (ET), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α), and Blood Lipids

Background

This study investigated the correlations between acute cerebral hemorrhage complicated with stress ulcer bleeding and corresponding indexes, including the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, vascular endothelin-1 (ET-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and blood lipid factors.

Material/Methods

A total of 53 patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage complicated with stress ulcer bleeding were selected as the observation group and 50 patients with simple acute cerebral hemorrhage were selected as the control group. The APACHE II score and the levels of ET-1, TNF-α, and blood lipid factors, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and malondialdehyde (MDA), were detected and the correlations of were analyzed between the 2 groups of patients.

Results

The blood lipid index TG, APACHE II score, ET-1, TNF-α, renal function indexes [blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr)], mortality rate, hemoglobin, and MDA in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group, while HDL-C in the observation group was obviously lower than in the control group (p<0.05). The APACHEII score had positive correlations with TG and TNF-α (r=0.8960, r=0.8563, respectively), while it was negatively correlated with TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, and ET-1 (r=−0.909, r=−0.9292, r=−0.8543, and r=−0.8899, respectively) (p<0.001 in all comparisons). APACHEII score, BUN, and Cr were all risk factors.

Conclusions

Stress ulcer in patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage is associated with blood lipid changes and inflammation, which provides clues for the diagnosis and treatment of acute cerebral hemorrhage.

Preoperative apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio: a novel prognostic factor for gastric cancer

Background

The correlations between lipid profile (lipid molecules and their derivative indexes) and clinical outcome have been widely testified in many carcinomas, but its prognostic value remains unknown in gastric cancer (GC). Our purpose in the study was to comprehensively evaluate the clinical significance of lipid profile in GC.

Methods

We retrospectively collected clinical information of 1,201 GC patients who received surgery at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from 2005 to 2010. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression model were performed to determine its prognostic significance.

Results

Lipid profile including cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, and ApoB/ApoA1 ratio were analyzed. For the first time, we found ApoB/ApoA1 ratio showed the biggest prognostic potency among all lipid-related variables and could act as an independent prognostic factor in GC. Patients with a high ApoB/ApoA1 ratio (≥1) had a shorter overall survival (hazard ratio: 1.373, 95% confidence interval: 1.123–1.68; P=0.002).

Conclusion

Preoperative serum ApoB/ApoA1 ratio might be used as a novel prognostic indicator of GC.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and the hematoma volume and stroke severity in acute intracerebral hemorrhage patients

BACKGROUND

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) serves as a powerful inflammatory marker for predicting cardiovascular events. Here, we investigate whether admission NLR is associated with hematoma volume, stroke severity, and 3-month outcomes in patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

METHODS

352 patients with acute ICH were prospectively identified in this study. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle risk factors, NIHSS score, hematoma volumes, and other clinical features were recorded for all participants. Patients was divided into quartiles based on the admission NLR levels (Q1: <2.78; Q2: 2.78-4.08; Q3: 4.08-7.85; Q4: ≥7.85). Multivariable linear regression models and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between NLR and hematoma volume, admission severity, or the outcomes after ICH.

RESULTS

Median NIHSS scores for each quartile (Q1 to Q4) were 6.0, 6.0, 6.0, and 11.0 (P=.001), and median hematoma volumes were 9.5, 9.3, 9.1, and 15.0ml (P=.005), respectively. After adjusting the age, sex, and other potential risk factors, the patients in Q4 had higher NIHSS scores (P=.042) and larger hematoma volume (P=.014). After 3-month follow-up, 148 poor outcomes (mRS, 3-6) and 47 all-cause deaths were documented. There were more patients with poor outcomes in Q4 than Q1. However, compared with the patients in Q1, those in Q4 were not associated with poor outcomes (P-trend=0.379), and all-cause mortality (P-trend=0.843) after adjust for other risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher admission NLR are associated with larger hematoma volume and more serious stroke, but not 3-month outcomes in patients with acute ICH.