Lipid profile fractions responsible for non ST-Elevation myocardial infarction in unstable angina patients of south India

Background: Although it is well known that dyslipidemia is the major risk factor for developing acute coronary syndrome (ACS) but its role in causing minor myocardial damage in unstable angina (UA) patients is rarely studied in south India, where obesity and dyslipidemia has been more common due to genetic and life style factors. Objective: The aim of our study was to find out the role of lipid profile parameters predicting the occurrence of non STelevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in the patients of UA. Methods: In this study, the laboratory parameters like troponin-I and serum total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TAG), low density lipoproteins (LDL), high density lipoproteins (HDL) were estimated in all patients of UA by using commercially available kits whereas TC/HDL and LDL/HDL ratio were calculated manually. The lipid levels were compared between troponin-I positive i.e. NSTEMI group and troponin-I negative i.e. UA groups. The data was analyses by using unpaired Ttest and forward type of logistic regression analysis. Results: The TC/HDL was found to be the only factor predicting the occurrence of NSTEMI in UA patients, even though the mean values of serum TC, TAG, TC/HDL and LDL/HDL ratio were significantly high in NSTEMI group as compared to UA group. Conclusion: It can be concluded that TC/HDL ratio is the best risk predictor of myocardial damage in unstable angina patients of south India.