Non-HDL-C is a Better Predictor for the Severity of Coronary Atherosclerosis Compared with LDL-C

Background: Recent guidelines recommended both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) are the primary target of lipid modulating therapy. However, which lipid measure is most closely related to the severity of coronary atherosclerosis has not yet been assessed.

Methods: We studied 1757 consecutive subjects undergoing coronary angiography who were not receiving any lipid-lowering therapy. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was measured directly, and non-HDL-C was calculated. The severity of coronary stenosis was determined using the Gensini Score (GS) system.

Results: In the overall population, LDL-C and non-HDL-C were all dramatically increased according to the quartiles of GS (p<0.001, both). In patients with coronary atherosclerosis (n=1097), non-HDL-C (r=0.138, p<0.001) was more closely related to GS than LDL-C (r=0.113, p<0.001) tested by Spearman correlation analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that non-HDL-C (OR=1.326, 95% CI 1.165-1.508, p<0.001) was slightly superior to LDL-C (OR=1.286, 95% CI 1.130-1.463, p<0.001) in predicting high GS after adjusting for potential confounders. Among patients with LDL-C less than the median, discordant non-HDL-C could not provide extra value in predicting high GS (OR=0.759, 95% CI 0.480-1.201). However, among patients with LDL-C greater than or equal to the median, the cardiovascular risk was overestimated for patients with discordant non-HDL-C (OR=0.458, 95% CI 0.285-0.736).

Conclusions: Our data support the use of non-HDL-C ahead of LDL-C in predicting the severity of coronary atherosclerosis, especially among patients with LDL-C greater than or equal to the median.