Table 3.
Summary of Associations of LDL Subfractions Measured by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Incident Cardiovascular Outcomes
| LDL Sub- fraction |
Definition (Number of Studies) |
Total Participants (Range), n |
Outcomes Analyzed (Number of Studies) |
Study Quality (Number of Studies) |
Significant Difference
in Mean Values* |
Significant Predictor† | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studies, n‡ |
Direction of Association§ |
Lipid-Adjusted Studies/Total Studies, n/n‡ |
Unadjusted Studies/Total Studies, n/n‡ |
Direction of Association§ |
|||||
| Small particles | 180–212 Å
(2) <182–197 Å (1) 183–197 Å (4) No data (1) |
5586 (118–2888) | CAD (3) CAD or CAD death (2) CAD death (1) CVD or CVD death (1) Intracerebral hemorrhage (1) |
Good (2) Fair (6) Poor (0) |
3/7 | Higher concentration | 0/2 | 1/2‡ | Higher concentration |
| Large particles | 212–230 Å
(2) 213–227 Å (1) 213–230 Å (5) No data (1) |
5586 (118–2888) | CAD (3) CAD or CAD death (2) CAD death (1) CVD or CVD death (1) Intracerebral hemorrhage (1) |
Good (2) Fair (6) Poor (0) |
2/7 | Higher concentration | 0/2 | 0/2 | |
| Particle number | nmol/L (10), higher level | 8806 (260–3066) | CAD or CAD death (4) CVD or CVD death (3) CAD (2) Intracerebral hemorrhage (1) |
Good (2) Fair (8) Poor (0) |
7/9 | Higher concentration | 4 (or 5)/5 (or 6)∥ | 3/4 | Higher concentration |
| Particle size | Å (8), smaller size | 5586 (118–2888) | CAD (3) CAD or CAD death (2) CAD death (1) CVD or CVD death (1) Intracerebral hemorrhage (1) |
Good (2) Fair (6) Poor (0) |
4/7 1/7 |
Smaller Larger** |
0/4 | 1/3¶ | Smaller |
CAD coronary artery disease; CVD cardiovascular disease (including cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular disease); LDL low-density lipoprotein.
Statistical significance of mean LDL subfraction values in participants with vs. those without cardiovascular events.
Statistical significance of regression analysis (odds ratio, hazard ratio, or risk ratio); significant analyses per total analyses.
Significant analyses per total analyses.
For statistically significant differences.
1 study (13) reported an association (in graphical terms) but did not report statistical significance. 1 study (16) implied, but did not report, a lack of a significant association
Unclear whether the analysis was lipid-adjusted in 1 study (16).
Intracerebral hemorrhage.