An index predicting coronary heart disease: LDL/HDL x 5

The correlation between lipids ratio and degree of coronary artery stenosis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between lipids ratio and the degree of coronary artery stenosis.

METHODS

According to the Gensini score of inpatients in the Cardiology Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, China, from January 2008 to June 2010, a total of 207 patients (group 1: control group = 34 patients; group 2: 1-30 score group = 84 patients; group 3: 31-90 score group = 66 patients; and group 4: >90 score group = 23 patients) were enrolled, and the relationship between lipids and the degree of coronary artery stenosis was determined.

RESULTS

Our study showed that the severity of coronary lesions was increased with the elevation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, triglycerides (TG), TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C and reduction of HDL-C. Compared with group 1, LDL-C/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C were significantly increased in groups 2, 3 and 4 (p < 0.05), and compared with group 2, LDL-C/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C in groups 3 and 4 were significantly increased (p < 0.05). There were no differences in the value of TG, TG/HDL-C among groups 2, 3 and 4 (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the Pearson correlation analysis revealed that LDL-C/HDL-C (r = 0.54, p < 0.05) and TC/HDL-C (r = 0.50, p < 0.05) were significantly and positively correlated with the coronary artery lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested that the severity of coronary artery lesions were correlated with abnormal lipid metabolism, and LDL-C/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C are better indicators than other measures. However, the predictive value of TG/HDL-C needs further study. Received for publication 25 October 2010; accepted for publication 14 April 2011.