Serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I, A-II and B levels in Singapore ethnic groups.

The mortality rate from CAD in Indians is more than 3 times that in the Chinese and Malays in the population of Singapore. The serum total, HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein levels (Apo A-I, Apo A-II and Apo B) were studied in a group of 344 healthy male adults from the 3 ethnic groups. Indians had a significantly lower level of HDL-cholesterol (38.4 +/- 9.8 mg/dl) than the Chinese (42.7 +/- 8.9 mg/dl) (P less than 0.005). The Apo A-I levels were higher in the Chinese (115.1 +/- 14.8 mg/dl) than in the Indians (108.6 +/- 28.8 mg/dl), but the difference was not statistically significant. The Chinese also had higher levels of Apo A-II (48.1 +/- 7.2 mg/dl) compared to those in the Indians (38.6 +/- 6.4 mg/dl) and Malays (38.0 +/- 4.9 mg/dl) (P less than 0.001). The ratio of Apo A-I/Apo B level was also higher in the Chinese (1.28) than in the Indians and Malays (1.09). Higher levels of Apo B and lower levels of HDL-cholesterol, Apo A-I and Apo A-II in Indians may partly explain the higher incidence of CAD in Indians.