Table 3. Parameters by quartiles of small dense LDL-C and P-value for trend across quartiles, adjusted for standard ASCVD risk factors†.
| Small dense LDL-C Quartiles | Quartile 1 | Quartile 2 | Quartile 3 | Quartile 4 | P values for trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (n = 507) | (n = 506) | (n = 510) | (n = 507) | ||
| Unadjusted variables‡ | |||||
| Age (years) | 56 [46, 63] | 59 [52, 66] | 60 [53, 67] | 61 [50, 68] | < 0.001 |
| Women, n (%) | 361 (71.2) | 339 (67.0) | 300 (58.8) | 263 (51.9) | < 0.001 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 120 [109, 132] | 122 [112, 136] | 125 [116, 136] | 128 [116, 139] | < 0.001 |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dL) | 164 [148, 181] | 180 [162, 197] | 189 [171, 205] | 198 [182, 215] | < 0.001 |
| HDL-C (mg/dL) | 67 [57, 78] | 63 [54, 75] | 58 [49, 67] | 54 [47, 63] | < 0.001 |
| Current smoking, n (%) | 52 (11.8) | 60 (13.7) | 62 (13.6) | 68 (15.2) | 0.53 |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 56 (12.5) | 82 (18.5) | 76 (16.6) | 88 (19.6) | 0.02 |
| Hypertension treatment, n (%) | 50 (10.3) | 76 (15.9) | 72 (15.1) | 81 (17.5) | < 0.01 |
| Diabetes, n (%) | 10 (2.2) | 9 (2.0) | 11 (2.4) | 20 (4.4) | 0.13 |
| Diabetes treatment, n (%) | 9 (1.9) | 8 (1.7) | 9 (1.9) | 16 (3.5) | 0.25 |
| Adjusted variables§ | |||||
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 23.5 ± 0.3 | 24.3 ± 0.3*** | 24.5 ± 0.3*** | 24.9 ± 0.3*** | < 0.001 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 73.7 ± 0.7 | 73.2 ± 0.7 | 73.8 ± 0.7 | 75.0 ± 0.7 | 0.02 |
| Current alcohol drinking (%) | 39.0 ± 4.1 | 41.3 ± 3.9 | 50.4 ± 3.9*** | 63.8 ± 3.9*** | < 0.001 |
| Dyslipidemia (%) | 1.7 ± 1.2 | 1.6 ± 1.2 | 1.0 ± 1.2 | 3.5 ± 1.2 | 0.19 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | 99.0 ± 6.6 | 118.3 ± 6.3*** | 148.1 ± 6.3*** | 186.7 ± 6.4*** | < 0.001 |
| Calculated LDL-C (mg/dL)‖ | 102.7 ± 1.0 | 98.3 ± 0.9*** | 93.3 ± 0.9*** | 84.5 ± 0.9*** | < 0.001 |
| Direct LDL-C (mg/dL) | 77.5 ± 1.2 | 88.3 ± 1.2*** | 98.1 ± 1.2*** | 114.0 ± 1.2*** | < 0.001 |
| Small dense LDL-C / calculated LDL-C ratio (%) | 10.4 ± 1.3 | 21.7 ± 1.3*** | 30.0 ± 1.3*** | 47.3 ± 1.3*** | < 0.001 |
| Small dense LDL-C / direct LDL-C ratio (%) | 16.7 ± 0.5 | 21.8 ± 0.4*** | 26.4 ± 0.4*** | 35.0 ± 0.5*** | < 0.001 |
| Large buoyant LDL-C (mg/dL)¶ | 63.9 ± 1.1 | 69.2 ± 1.1*** | 72.7 ± 1.0*** | 74.2 ± 1.1*** | < 0.001 |
| VLDL-C (mg/dL)†† | 24.5 ± 1.3 | 29.3 ± 1.2*** | 34.9 ± 1.2*** | 44.8 ± 1.2*** | < 0.001 |
| LDL-triglycerides (mg/dL) | 8.2 ± 0.8 | 9.5 ± 0.7* | 12.7 ± 0.7*** | 16.9 ± 0.7*** | < 0.001 |
| HDL3-C (mg/dL) | 15.7 ± 0.4 | 15.3 ± 0.4 | 14.4 ± 0.4*** | 13.2 ± 0.4*** | < 0.001 |
| HDL2-C (mg/dL)†† | 46.5 ± 0.4 | 47.0 ± 0.4 | 47.8 ± 0.4*** | 49.0 ± 0.4*** | < 0.001 |
| Lipoprotein(a) (mg/dL) | 11.6 ± 1.0 | 11.2 ± 0.9 | 10.4 ± 0.9 | 7.2 ± 1.0*** | < 0.001 |
| Adiponectin (µg/dL) | 9.2 ± 0.4 | 8.2 ± 0.4*** | 8.1 ± 0.4*** | 7.2 ± 0.4*** | < 0.001 |
| High sensitivity CRP (mg/L) | 0.62 ± 0.07 | 0.68 ± 0.07 | 0.71 ± 0.07 | 0.82 ± 0.07** | < 0.01 |
| Mean cIMT at baseline (mm) | 0.69 ± 0.01 | 0.70 ± 0.01 | 0.69 ± 0.01 | 0.69 ± 0.01 | 0.95 |
| Mean cIMT progression (mm) | 0.31 ± 0.04 | 0.33 ± 0.04 | 0.34 ± 0.04 | 0.41 ± 0.04** | < 0.01 |
Adjusted for standard ASCVD risk factors included age, sex, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, current smoking, history of diabetes, and hypertension treatment.
Data are shown as median [25% quartile, 75% quartile] or number (%) for unadjusted variables.
Data are shown as adjusted mean ± standard error or proportions ± standard error for adjusted variables.
Parameter is calculated using the following Friedewald equation: (total cholesterol – HDL-C) – (triglycerides/5).
Parameter is calculated using the following equation: LDL-C – small dense LDL-C.
Parameter is calculated using the following equation: total cholesterol – HDL-C – LDL-C.
Parameter is calculated using the following equation: HDL-C – HDL3-C.
P values < 0.05 compared with Quartile 1.
P values < 0.01 compared with Quartile 1.
P values < 0.001 compared with Quartile 1.
LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; ASCVD, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; VLDL-C, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; CRP, C reactive protein; cIMT, carotid intimal medial thickness.