The correlation between serum lipid profile with carotid intima-media thickness and plaque

BACKGROUND It is indicated that non-HDL cholesterol and lipid ratios, including total/HDL cholesterol and LDL/HDL cholesterol ratios, are risk indicators with greater predictive value for coronary atherosclerotic progression or regression compared with conventional lipid profile. However, there have been few reports about the correlation between serum lipid profile with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque in Chinese general people. METHODS We examined 402 subjects without apparent diseases in a cross-sectional study (mean age 50.16 years; 36.07% female). Demographics, anthropometrics, and laboratory data were collected. The presence of carotid plaque and intima-media thickness were evaluated by ultrasonography. RESULTS Univariate correlations showed carotid IMT was correlated with LDL-C (r = 0.137, p = 0.009), non-LDL-C levels (r = 0.140, p = 0.008) and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (r = 0.169, p = 0.001). After adjustment for potential covariates, LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (β = 0.132, p < 0.001) were independent variables that interacted on carotid IMT. Other risk factors including age and systolic blood pressure were independently associated with carotid IMT. LDL-C levels, non-HDL-C levels, TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were significantly higher, but HDL-C levels were significantly lower in subjects with carotid plaque than those without it. The subsequent multiple logistic regression analysis showed that LDL-C (OR; 1.325, 95% CI; 1.046-1.821, p = 0.033) and HDL-C levels (OR; 0.093, 95% CI; 0.038-0.227, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the presence of carotid plaque after adjustment of age. Furthermore, LDL-C combined with HDL-C levels showed the highest area under the curve (0.788, 95% CI; 0.740-0.837, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Serum LDL-C/HDL-C ratio represents as an independent index associated with increased carotid IMT and LDL-C combined with HDL-C levels may be useful markers for predicting the presence of carotid plaque in the Chinese general population.