Association of Increased Remnant Cholesterol and the Risk of Coronary Artery Disease: A Retrospective Study

Triglyceride-Glucose Index Association With Severity of Coronary Artery Disease

BACKGROUND

Despite previous studies, the relationship between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and coronary artery disease (CAD) is still undetermined. So we aimed to investigate the association between the TyG index and CAD.

METHOD

A total of 2346 subjects were enrolled in the study and were categorised into 5: those with no CAD, angiogram negative (Ang-) patients, those with single-vessel disease (SVD), or two-vessel disease (2VD) or three-vessel disease (3VD). Demographic characteristics, disease history and biochemical investigations were recorded. TyG index was calculated as Ln [fasting TG (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2].

RESULTS

Adjusted regression models demonstrated that the odds of 3VD (OR, 5.847; 95% CI, 4.391-7.784), 2VD (OR, 4.943; 95% CI, 3.597-6.791), SVD (OR, 4.722; 95% CI 3.448-6.647) and a negative coronary angiogram (OR, 3.137; 95% CI, 2.431-4.049), increased significantly per each unit elevation of the TyG index, compared to the healthy participants. Also, the odds for being 3VD (1.864, 95%CI 1.402-2.477, p-value < 0.001), 2VD (1.575, 95%CI 1.143-2.171, p-value = 0.005) and SVD (1.505, 95%CI 1.097-2.065, p-value = 0.011) were increased significantly by one-unit elevation of TyG index, compared to Ang- group.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates a significant association between elevated TyG index and the presence and severity of CAD. Higher TyG index values were consistently linked to an increased likelihood of multivessel CAD, especially in diabetic patients. These findings suggest that the TyG index could serve as a valuable marker for assessing CAD risk and stratification.

Correlation of blood lipids, glucose, and inflammatory indices with the occurrence and prognosis of lesion complexity in unstable angina, a retrospective cohort study

Background

In recent years, novel cardiometabolic biomarkers and related pathogenic genes and their heritability have been examined. However, no multitarget predictive evaluation models exist can identify and predict complex lesions in unstable angina (UA) in the early stages before coronary angiography (CAG) or evaluate the prognosis of patients with UA and complex lesions. In this study, we sought to investigate the correlation between blood lipid, glucose, and inflammatory indices and the occurrence and prognosis of UA with complex lesions, and also the risk factors for major adverse cardiocerebrovascular events (MACCEs).

Methods

Patients with UA who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at Chaoyang Hospital between March 2019 and December 2020 were included. Patients with UA who underwent PCI were divided into complex lesion group and noncomplex lesion group according to the CAG results. The blood lipid and glucose levels, inflammatory indices, Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) scores, and clinical outcome events after 3 years follow-up from both groups were calculated.

Results

A total of 523 patients were included, with 248 and 275 patients in the complex and noncomplex lesion groups, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of sex, age, medical history, or demographic characteristics. After 3 years of follow-up, compared with the noncomplex lesion group, the complex lesion group had a higher incidence of target vessel revascularization (TVR) (8.1% vs. 4.0%; P=0.049) and MACCEs (11.7% vs. 5.8%; P=0.02). High remnant lipoprotein cholesterol (RLP-C) level, high small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sLDL-C) level, high lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] level, high high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level, low lymphocyte level, low albumin level, and low hs-CRP:albumin ratio (CAR) were found to be risk factors for the occurrence of UA with complex lesions. High RLP-C level, high sLDL-C level, high Lp(a) level, and high neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were independent risk factors for MACCEs in the complex lesion group, from which a new prediction model was created. The area under the curve (AUC) of the new model for predicting MACCEs events after 3 years of follow-up [AUC =0.935; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.881-0.989] in the complex lesion group was higher than that of the SYNTAX score (AUC =0.671; 95% CI: 0.584-0.757) (P<0.001).

Conclusions

Blood lipid and glucose levels and inflammatory indices may be associated with the occurrence of UA with complex lesions. The new model for UA with complex lesions constructed using high RLP-C level, high sLDL-C level, high Lp(a) level, and high NLR level had a stronger ability to predicts MACCEs during follow-up than did the SYNTAX score. Our findings could enhance early detection of patients with UA and complex lesions, potentially improving prevention and treatment strategies for perioperative UA-PCI patients.

Clinical and biochemical features of atherogenic hyperlipidemias with different genetic basis: A comprehensive comparative study

Patients with genetically-based hyperlipidemias exhibit a wide phenotypic variability. Investigation of clinical and biochemical features is important for identifying genetically-based hyperlipidemias, determining disease prognosis, and initiating timely treatment. We analyzed genetic data from 3374 samples and compared clinical data, lipid levels (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipoprotein (a)), frequency, age at onset of coronary heart disease (CHD), and the severity of carotid and femoral atherosclerosis (plaque number, maximum stenosis, total stenosis, maximum plaque height, and plaque score) among patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), familial dysbetalipoproteinemia (FD), polygenic hypercholesterolemia (HCL), severe HCL, and those without lipid disorders (n = 324). FH patients exhibited the highest LDL-C (median 8.03 mmol/L, p < 0.001). FD patients had elevated triglyceride levels (median 4.10 mmol/L), lower LDL-C (median 3.57 mmol/L), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (median 1.03 mmol/L) compared to FH, polygenic HCL, and severe HCL, p < 0.05. FH and FD patients had similar early onset of CHD, with a median age of 44 and 40 years and comparable frequencies of 29.5% and 31.0%, respectively. They were more likely to develop CHD than subjects without lipid disorders (p = 0.042 and p < 0.001, respectively). Additionally, FH patients had higher a carotid plaque number, total carotid stenosis, and carotid plaque score. This study presents the first simultaneous comparison of clinical and biochemical features among FD, FH, polygenic, and severe HCL, along with the first comprehensive evaluation of carotid and femoral atherosclerosis ultrasound parameters in FD patients. The results highlight distinct phenotypic features unique to each hyperlipidemia analyzed and underscore FH and FD as the most atherogenic hyperlipidemias.

Spectrum and Prevalence of Rare APOE Variants and Their Association with Familial Dysbetalipoproteinemia

Familial dysbetalipoproteinemia (FD) is a highly atherogenic, prevalent genetically based lipid disorder. About 10% of FD patients have rare APOE variants associated with autosomal dominant FD. However, there are insufficient data on the relationship between rare APOE variants and FD. Genetic data from 4720 subjects were used to identify rare APOE variants and investigate their pathogenicity for autosomal dominant FD. We observed 24 variants in 86 unrelated probands. Most variants were unique (66.7%). Five identified APOE variants (p.Glu63ArgfsTer15, p.Gly145AlafsTer97, p.Lys164SerfsTer87, p.Arg154Cys, and p.Glu230Lys) are causal for autosomal dominant FD. One of them (p.Lys164SerfsTer87) was described for the first time. When we compared clinical data, it was found that carriers of pathogenic or likely pathogenic APOE variants had significantly higher triglyceride levels (median 5.01 mmol/L) than carriers of benign or likely benign variants (median 1.70 mmol/L, p = 0.034) and variants of uncertain significance (median 1.38 mmol/L, p = 0.036). For the first time, we estimated the expected prevalence of causal variants for autosomal dominant FD in the population sample: 0.27% (one in 619). Investigating the spectrum of APOE variants may advance our understanding of the genetic basis of FD and underscore the importance of APOE gene sequencing in patients with lipid metabolism disorders.

Correlation between remnant cholesterol and premature coronary artery disease and the severity of coronary artery lesions in men: a retrospective study

Objective

To investigate the correlation between remnant cholesterol (RC) and premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) and the severity of coronary artery lesions in men.

Methods

A total of 630 male subjects who underwent coronary angiography were included in the study. The general data, laboratory tests, and coronary angiography data of each group were statistically analyzed, and RC levels were calculated. According to the Gensini score, PCAD was divided into mild and severe lesion groups. The relationship between RC and PCAD and coronary artery lesions was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression and spearman correlation analysis, and the predictive value of RC for coronary artery lesions was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Results

The RC levels in the PCAD group were significantly higher than those in the non-PCAD group (p < 0.05), and RC was an independent risk factor for PCAD (p < 0.05).The RC levels in the severe lesion group were higher than those in the mild lesion group (p < 0.05), and RC levels were positively correlated with the Gensini score (r = 0.335, p < 0.001).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that RC was an independent risk factor for severe coronary artery lesions (p < 0.05).The ROC curve calculated the value of RC in predicting severe coronary artery lesions, with an area under the curve of 0.693, a cutoff value of 0.485 mmol/L, a sensitivity of 64.7%, and a specificity of 66.2%.

Conclusion

RC is an independent risk factor for PCAD and the severity of coronary artery lesions in adult men. RC levels are positively correlated with the severity of coronary artery lesions and can be used as an auxiliary indicator for clinical assessment of PCAD.

Comparative analysis of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and remnant cholesterol in predicting cardiovascular events and mortality in general adult population

This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and Remnant Cholesterol (Remnant-C) in relation to cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in the general population. A population-based study. We conducted a retrospective cohort study analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning the years of 2011-2018, with follow-up for mortality status until December 31, 2019. Kaplan‒Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations between NLR, Remnant-C, and cardiovascular events as well as all-cause mortality. Overall, 9409 individuals with both complete blood count and blood lipids were included in the analysis. Baseline NLR and Remnant-C were calculated. During the follow-up (median, 59.3 months), 177 cardiovascular events and 561 all-cause mortality occurred. In fully adjusted model, people with NLR > 2.26 were significantly associated with higher risk of cardiovascular events (HR 2.14, 95% CI 1.30-3.52, P < 0.001) and all-cause mortality (HR 1.66, 95% CI 1.30-2.12, P < 0.001). NLR exhibited a positive correlation with Remnant-C (r = 0.04, P < 0.001). Elevated NLR levels shown stronger association with cardiovascular events (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.14-2.28, P < 0.001) compared with Remnant-C (HR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.04, P = 0.020). Our findings suggest that NLR and Remnant-C are potential predictive markers for cardiovascular events in the general population. We observed a correlation between NLR and Remnant-C, and high NLR levels demonstrate a stronger association with the prediction of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality compared with Remnant-C.

Remnant cholesterol has an important impact on increased carotid intima-media thickness in non-diabetic individuals

To investigate the correlation the correlation between residual cholesterol (RC) and increased carotid intima-media thickness(cIMT) in non-diabetic individuals. This study included 1786 non-diabetic individuals who underwent carotid ultrasound. RC was calculated based on total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The subjects were divided into the cIMT thickening group (cIMT ≥ 0.1 cm) and non-thickening group (cIMT < 0.1 cm) groups based on cIMT, binary logistic regression with different models and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were adopted to evaluate the predictive ability of RC in cIMT. Of the research participants , their median age was 55 (49-51) years, 1121 (63%) were male, and 209 (12%) had hypertension, and people in the cIMT thickening group (925) were more likely to be older and male than those in the non-thickening group (843). Across the different RC subgroups, there was an increasing trend in maximum cIMT (P < 0.001) as RC levels increased within quartiles. RC was found to be an independent risk predictor for cIMT thickening (all P <  in models 1-3); and this result persisted in the LDL-C normal subgroup (P = 0.002). The results suggested that RC was an independent predictor of cIMT thickening in non-diabetic individuals and had a strong atherogenic effect.

Remnant cholesterol in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Accumulating evidence suggests a substantial contribution of remnant cholesterol (RC) to residual risk for the development or relapse of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). We aimed to evaluate the association of RC levels with ASCVD risk by different risk categories and methods of RC assessment. We also assessed available evidence of the effects of lipid-lowering therapies (LLTs) on RC levels.

METHODS

English-language searches of Medline, PubMed, and Embase (inception to 31 January 2023); ClinicalTrials.gov (October 2022); and reference lists of studies and reviews. Studies reporting on the risk of the composite endpoint [all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE)] by RC levels were included. Moreover, we searched for studies reporting differences in RC levels after the administration of LLT(s).

RESULTS

Among n = 29 studies with 257,387 participants, we found a pooled linear (pooled HR: 1.27 per 1-SD increase, 95% CI: 1.12-1.43, P < 0.001, I2 = 95%, n = 15 studies) and non-linear association (pooled HR: 1.59 per quartile increase, 95% CI: 1.35-1.85, P < 0.001, I2 = 87.9%, n = 15 studies) of RC levels and the risk of M ACE both in patients with and without established ASCVD. Interestingly, the risk of MACE was higher in studies with directly measured vs. calculated RC levels. In a limited number of studies and participants, LLTs reduced RC levels.

CONCLUSION

RC levels are associated with ASCVD risk both in primary and secondary prevention. Directly measured RC levels are associated with ASCVD risk more evidently. Available LLTs tend to decrease RC levels, although the clinical relevance of RC decrease merits further investigation.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION

CRD42022371346.

Remnant cholesterol, but not low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, is associated with intra-pancreatic fat deposition

AIM

To investigate the associations of components of the lipid panel (and its derivatives) with intra-pancreatic fat deposition (IPFD).

METHODS

All participants underwent abdominal magnetic resonance imaging on the same 3.0-Tesla scanner and IPFD was quantified. Blood samples were collected in the fasted state for analysis of lipid panel components. A series of linear regression analyses was conducted, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and liver fat deposition.

RESULTS

A total of 348 participants were included. Remnant cholesterol (P = 0.010) and triglyceride levels (P = 0.008) were positively, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (P = 0.001) was negatively, associated with total IPFD in the most adjusted model. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol were not significantly associated with total IPFD. Of the lipid panel components investigated, remnant cholesterol explained the greatest proportion (9.9%) of the variance in total IPFD.

CONCLUSION

Components of the lipid panel have different associations with IPFD. This may open up new opportunities for improving outcomes in people at high risk for cardiovascular diseases (who have normal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) by reducing IPFD.

Limosilactobacillus reuteri consumption significantly reduces the total cholesterol concentration without affecting other cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

As one of the most significant probiotics, Limosilactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) has been exploited as a nutritional supplement. We hypothesized that L. reuteri consumption might improve the significant risk factors of cardiovascular disease, including blood pressure, blood lipid, and blood glucose. However, previous clinical studies have shown controversial results. This study aims to explore the effect of L. reuteri consumption on these risk factors. PubMed, Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for eligible randomized controlled trials published before May 2022. A total of 6 studies with 4 different L. reuteri strains and including 512 participants were included. The results showed that L. reuteri consumption significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC) by -0.26 mmol/L compared with the control group. In contrast, it did not affect systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or triglycerides. Subgroup analysis showed a significant reduction in TC when participants were <55 years old, had a body mass index between 25 and 30, or had hypercholesterolemia. In addition, TC decreased significantly when L. reuteri supplementation was >5 × 109 colony-forming unit or the length of the intervention was <12 weeks. Strain subgroup analysis showed that L. reuteri NCIMB 30242 significantly reduced TC and LDL-C. In conclusion, L. reuteri consumption has a significant TC-lowering effect, which can effectively reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease associated with hypercholesterolemia. However, the results do not support the effectiveness of L. reuteri consumption on other metabolic outcomes. Further examination of larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these findings.

Non-fasting lipids and cardiovascular disease in those with and without diabetes in Alberta's Tomorrow Project: A prospective cohort study

AIMS

Non-fasting remnant cholesterol (RC) is a novel marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, however, data on this relationship in Canadians with diabetes (at high risk of CVD) is lacking. The objective of this analysis was to determine the relationship of RC with CVD in individuals with and without diabetes in the Alberta's Tomorrow Project (ATP) cohort.

METHODS

Non-fasting lipid data collected as part of the ATP was linked to administrative health records (October 2000-March 2015) to ascertain incident CVD and prevalent diabetes. Participants without prevalent CVD or incident diabetes and who had complete, non-negative non-fasting lipid data collected with triglycerides <4.5 mmol/L were included (n = 13,631). The relationship between non-fasting RC and incident CVD diagnoses was assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression, after stratification by diabetes status.

RESULTS

Participants were 69.8% women with a mean age of 61.6 ± 9.7 years, and 6.5% had prevalent diabetes. Non-fasting RC was higher in participants with diabetes compared to those without (mean 0.94 ± 0.41 mmol/L vs. 0.77 ± 0.38 mmol/L, p < 0.0001) and was associated with increased risk of incident CVD among those without diabetes (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.22, 95% CI 1.03-1.43, p = 0.02). Although a similar trend was observed in participants with diabetes it did not reach statistical significance (aHR 1.31, 95% CI 0.84-2.05, p = 0.23).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated non-fasting RC predicted increased CVD risk in middle and older-aged adults without diabetes; similar trends were observed in participants with diabetes and require further testing in a larger sample.

Nonfasting remnant cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk prediction in Albertans: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

European studies have shown that nonfasting remnant cholesterol can be a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease risk and may contribute to identifying residual risk; however, Canadian data are lacking on nonfasting remnant cholesterol. In this study, we aimed to determine the relation between nonfasting remnant cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and cardiovascular disease among people in Alberta.

METHODS

In this retrospective analysis, we used data from Alberta's Tomorrow Project, a large prospective cohort that enrolled Albertans aged 35-69 years (2000-2015). Participants with consent to data linkage, with complete nonfasting lipid data and without existing cardiovascular disease were included. The nonfasting remnant cholesterol and LDL cholesterol relation with a composite cardiovascular disease outcome of major incident cardiovascular diagnoses, ascertained by linking to Alberta Health databases, was determined by multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, statin use, comorbidities, and LDL cholesterol or remnant cholesterol.

RESULTS

The final sample of 13 988 participants was 69.4% female, and the mean age was 61.8 (standard deviation [SD] 9.7) years. Follow-up time was approximately 15 years. Mean remnant cholesterol was significantly higher among individuals with versus without cardiovascular disease (0.87 [SD 0.40] mmol/L v. 0.78 [SD 0.38] mmol/L, standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.24), and mean LDL cholesterol was significantly lower (2.69 [SD 0.93] mmol/L v. 2.88 [SD 0.84] mmol/L, SMD 0.21). The odds of incident composite cardiovascular disease were significantly increased per mmol/L increase in remnant cholesterol (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-1.73) but significantly decreased per mmol/L increase in LDL cholesterol (adjusted OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.68-0.79).

INTERPRETATION

In this large Albertan cohort of predominantly older females, nonfasting remnant cholesterol had a positive relation with cardiovascular disease incidence, whereas LDL cholesterol did not. These findings support the clinical utility of measuring non-fasting remnant cholesterol to detect cardiovascular disease risk.

Prognostic value of remnant cholesterol in patients with coronary heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

Background

The relationship between abnormal lipid levels and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases is well established, but the association between remnant cholesterol (RC) and coronary heart disease (CHD) remains uncertain. The aim of this meta-analysis is to systematically evaluate the prognostic value of RC concentration in patients with CHD.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were reviewed to identify relevant observational cohort studies published in English up to December 2021. Random-effects meta-analysis compared the highest and lowest RC concentration. The primary outcome was a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and all-cause mortality in patients with CHD.

Results

A total of 10 studies recruiting 30,605 patients with CHD were selected to be included in this meta-analysis. Patients with CHD with elevated RC concentration had an increased risk of the composite endpoint events (RR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.26-1.87) and MACEs (RR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.54-1.88), but the risk of all-cause mortality was not statistically significant (RR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.79-1.69, P = 0.44). Subgroup analysis showed consistent results.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that elevated concentration RC may independently predict MACEs in patients with CHD. Determination of RC concentration may improve risk stratification of prognosis in patients with CHD. However, more high-quality studies are necessary to confirm this association.

Effect of acute ketosis on lipid profile in prediabetes: findings from a cross-over randomized controlled trial

Background

Ketone monoester β-hydroxybutyrate (KEβHB) ingestion has emerged as an effective method of inducing acute ketosis. Although evidence suggests that KEβHB can offer several therapeutic benefits, whether KEβHB affects lipid profile is still unknown.

Aims

The primary aim was to study the effect of KEβHB on plasma lipid profile in individuals with prediabetes. The secondary aim was to investigate the role of saturated fat intake in that effect.

Methods

This study was a randomized controlled trial with cross-over design. Following an overnight fast, 18 adults (six women and 12 men) with prediabetes (diagnosed based on the American Diabetes Association criteria) ingested a single dose of KEβHB drink or placebo drink. Blood samples were collected every 30 min, from baseline to 150 min. Outcome variables included changes in total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, remnant cholesterol, triglycerides, and the triglycerides to HDL cholesterol ratio. The area under the curve (AUC) over 150 min was calculated for each outcome following ingestion of the drinks. Habitual saturated fat intake was ascertained using the EPIC-Norfolk food frequency questionnaire.

Results

Significant elevation of blood β-hydroxybutyrate from 0.2 mmol/L to 3.5 mmol/L (p < 0.001) was achieved within 30 min. Acute ketosis resulted in significantly lower AUCs for remnant cholesterol (p = 0.022) and triglycerides (p = 0.022). No statistically significant differences in the AUCs for total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and the triglycerides to HDL cholesterol ratio were found. The changes in remnant cholesterol and triglycerides were statistically significant in individuals with high, but not low, habitual saturated fat intake.

Conclusion

Acute ketosis had no untoward effect on plasma lipid profile. Moreover, it led to significantly reduced circulating levels of remnant cholesterol and triglycerides. This paves the way for investigating whether exogenous ketone supplementation reduces cardiovascular disease risk (via its actions on triglyceride-rich lipoproteins) in at-risk populations.

 Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03889210.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12933-022-01571-z.

Association between remnant cholesterol and heart failure: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Elevated remnant cholesterol (RC) is associated with a higher risk of various cardiac diseases. Heart failure (HF) usually occurs at the end stage of various cardiac diseases. However, there is limited research on the association between RC and the risk of HF. Therefore, we aimed to provide relevant evidence by determining whether a high RC level also influences the risk of HF.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this secondary analysis of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, we included 12,595 participants without coronary heart disease. We determined the association of the RC level as a continuous or categorical variable with the risk of HF using the multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline curve.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 22.5 years, 2,029 (16.1%) cases of HF occurred in all included participants. Compared with participants in the RC < 0.50 mmol/L group, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for HF increased progressively in participants with the RC level of 0.50 to 0.99 mmol/L, 1.00 to 1.49 mmol/L, and ≥1.50 mmol/L, from 1.17 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.30) to 1.27(95% CI: 1.08-1.49) and to 1.50 (95% CI: 1.14-1.97) (P for trend < 0.001). Cubic spline curves also revealed that the risk of HF increased with the RC level.

CONCLUSION

In the general population without coronary heart disease, a higher level of RC was significantly associated with a higher risk of HF, indicating that a higher RC level might be a potential risk factor for HF. Therefore, the management of blood cholesterol to reduce the risks of HF should focus not only on the traditional blood lipid parameters but also on the RC level.

Remnant cholesterol and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: Metabolism, mechanism, evidence, and treatment

This review aimed to summarize the evidence of elevated remnant cholesterol and the risks of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and to search for further guidance in clinical therapy. The lipids-lowering treatments such as statins and ezetimibe targeted on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) have always been the first-line therapy for ASCVD. However, even after statins or new lipid-lowering drugs lowered LDL-C to recommended concentrations, and with other risk factors well-controlled, such as high blood pressure, the risks of developing ASCVD remained. Remnant cholesterol (RC) referred to the cholesterol contained in all remnant lipoprotein particles, which was the cholesterol in the hydrolyzed very-low-density lipoprotein and intermediate-density lipoprotein in the fasting state, and the cholesterol in the chylomicron remnants in the postprandial state. Evidence from in vitro and animal pathogenic mechanisms studies, epidemiology, and genetic studies all indicated that RC played an important role in predicting the incidence of ASCVD. As a new indicator to reflect atherosclerosis, especially when LDL-C has been controlled to a recommended level, RC was considered as a priority treatment target for people at high risk of ASCVD. The use of statins, fibrates, APOC3 inhibitors, PCSK9 inhibitors, and omega-3 fatty acids to reduce RC levels in the plasma may provide long-term benefits. However, the standardized detection of RC was still controversial, and more studies on appropriate treatments of elevated RC are urgently needed. These positive trials may benefit more patients at high ASCVD risks worldwide in the future.

Remnant Cholesterol and the Risk of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Among statin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), there is still a great residual cardiovascular risk. Previous studies found that the level of remnant cholesterol (RC) could predict the coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. In the present study, we enrolled 4145 patients with T2DM; 2784 (67.2%) were male and their median age was 62 years. After multivariate logistic analyses, plasma RC level was significantly and independently associated with CAD [odds ratio (OR) 13.524, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 7.058-25.912, P < .001) after adjustment for conventional risk factors, such as age, gender, hypertension, and other lipid levels. Even in the presence of high high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level, the elevated RC could still predict CAD in T2DM patients (OR 2.064, 95%CI 1.438-2.964, P < .001). Furthermore, RC had relationships with age, hypertension, and smoking status in promoting CAD progression in T2DM patients, with all p for interactive <.001. In conclusion, RC level was independently associated with CAD risk in patients with T2DM.

Hypertriglyceridemia, a causal risk factor for atherosclerosis, and its laboratory assessment

Epidemiological and clinical studies show a causal association between serum triglyceride (TG) level, the number of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) and their remnants, and the increased risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. In light of current guidelines for dyslipidemia management, the laboratory parameters reflecting TRL content are recommended as part of the routine lipid analysis process and used for CVD risk assessment, especially in people with hypertriglyceridemia (HTG), diabetes mellitus, obesity and low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), in which high residual CVD risk is observed. The basic routinely available laboratory parameters related with TRL are serum TG and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels, but there are also other biomarkers related to TRL metabolism, the determination of which can be helpful in identifying the basis of HTG development or assessing CVD risk or can be the target of pharmacological intervention. In this review, we present the currently available laboratory parameters related to HTG. We summarise their link with TRL metabolism and HTG development, the determination methods as well as their clinical significance, the target values and interpretation of the results in relation to the current dyslipidemia guidelines.