Predictive value of remnant-like particles cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio as a new indicator of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND

There is as yet no definite consensus on the predictive value of the various lipid profiles and fibrinolytic parameters that became available in clinical use recently for coronary artery disease.

METHODS

Levels of lipoprotein(a), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), remnant-like particles cholesterol (RLP-C), tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), TPA inhibitor, antithrombin III, and protein C were measured in 124 patients who underwent diagnostic coronary angiograms.

RESULTS

Of these patients, 37 had no significant stenoses (group N) and 87 had significant stenoses (group S). There were no significant differences in patient characteristics between the two groups. HDL-C was significantly lower (p = 0.0071 ) and RLP-C was significantly higher (p = 0.0022) in group S. When a product and a ratio of each of two factors were calculated, RLP-C/HDL-C was demonstrated to be a highly significant predictor for coronary artery stenoses (p < 0.0001). There were also significant increases in RLP-C/HDL-C levels with increasing number of vessels involved (r = 0.359, p < 0.0001 ).

CONCLUSION

Our present study disclosed the predictive value of RLP-C/HDL-C ratio as a new indicator of coronary artery disease.