LDL particles may be a more accurate measure of early-stage atherosclerosis

Published on June 19, 2012LipoScience, Inc., an in vitro diagnostic company advancing patient care by developing high value proprietary clinical diagnostic tests using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology, today announced publication of a clinical study in the current issue of Atherosclerosis suggesting that low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles may be a more accurate measure of early-stage (subclinical) atherosclerosis than LDL cholesterol among retired National Football League (NFL) players."These results suggest that LDL particle number may be a more effective indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis in retired NFL players with metabolic syndrome"Researchers conducted carotid artery plaque screenings as well as traditional and specialized lipid testing on 948 retired professional football players. Carotid arteries supply oxygenated blood to the brain and a plaque buildup may narrow these arteries, which may decrease blood flow and increase the risk of a stroke. Carotid artery plaques were present in 41 percent of this population, and while various measures of cholesterol - LDL particle number, LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol - were all associated with these plaques, the link to atherosclerosis was strongest for LDL particle number.In addition, nearly twenty percent (187) of the retired players tested also had metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors that occur together and increase the risk for coronary artery disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. In this subset of players, LDL particle number and non-HDL cholesterol were significantly associated with carotid artery plaques, whereas LDL cholesterol was not.