Serum triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and coronary heart disease in a Chinese population undergoing coronary angiography.

BACKGROUND: Increased serum triglyceride and apolipoprotein B (apoB) levels and decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The major types of dyslipidemia in Chinese population are hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL-C.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of HDL-C, triglyceride, and apoB levels on the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in a Chinese population undergoing coronary angiography.

METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 1941 consecutive patients who were referred to coronary angiography for the evaluation of suspected CHD were recruited. Lipid parameters were measured after an overnight fast. Patients were diagnosed with CHD and without CHD based on the findings of the coronary angiography.

RESULTS: There were 1363 angiography confirmed CHD patients and 578 non-CHD patients. In nonstatin users, the major types of dyslipidemia were hypertriglyceridemia combined with low HDL-C, isolated low HDL-C, and isolated hypertriglyceridemia, accounting for 21.60%, 19.70%, and 14.99%, respectively. In statin users, a low to moderate-intensity statin was effective in lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The proportion of reaching an LDL-C goal <2.6 mmol/L and <1.8 mmol/L in statin users was 83.20% and 55.19%, respectively. In nonstatin users, the triglyceride and apoB levels were higher and the HDL-C levels were lower in CHD patients compared with non-CHD patients after the adjustment of age, sex, body mass index, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol drinking (P = .002, .007, and .005, respectively). After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, smoking and alcohol drinking, the quartiles of triglyceride, HDL-C, and apoB were associated with CHD (P for trend = .001, .005, and .003, respectively).

CONCLUSION: Serum triglyceride, HDL-C, and apoB levels were independently associated with CHD in a Chinese population undergoing coronary angiography with a relatively low level of LDL-C and a high prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL-C.