Angiographically-assessed coronary artery disease associates with HDL particle size in women

It has been suggested that a reduced HDL particle size could be another feature of the atherogenic dyslipidemia found among viscerally obese subjects.ObjectiveTo investigate, in women, the relationship between HDL particle size and coronary artery disease (CAD).MethodsAverage HDL particle size was measured in a sample of 239 women on whom CAD was assessed by angiography.ResultsOverall, women who had CAD were characterized by a deteriorated fasting metabolic risk profile, which was accompanied by smaller HDL particles compared to women without CAD (80.4 ± 2.2 Å vs. 81.5 ± 2.7 Å, p < 0.01). In addition, a reduced HDL particle size was a significant correlate of several features of the atherogenic metabolic profile of abdominal obesity such as increased triglyceride and apolipoprotein B concentrations, decreased HDL cholesterol levels, an elevated cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio and hyperinsulinemia and was also associated with an increased waist circumference (0.13≤|r|≤0.21, p < 0.05). Odds ratio of being affected by CAD was increased by 2.5-fold (95% CI: 1.4-4.5; p < 0.01) among women with smaller HDL particles compared to women with larger HDL particles. Finally, women characterized by the presence of the NCEP-ATP III clinical criteria or by hypertriglyceridemic waist were characterized by smaller HDL particles compared to women without these clinical phenotypes (p < 0.05).ConclusionHDL particle size appears to be another relevant feature of a dysmetabolic state which is related to CAD risk in women.

► Investigate, in women, the relationship between HDL particle size and CAD. ► CAD odds ratio was significantly increased among women with smaller HDL particles. ► There is a relationship between HDL particle size and CAD in high-risk women.