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Effects of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol on cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in elderly patients (≥75 years old)

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Abstract

Purpose

Although increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is one of the major risk factors for the cardiovascular disease (CVD), the associations of LDL-C with CVD and all-cause mortality are unclear in elderly (≥75 years) individuals.

Methods

A total of 3674 individuals aged 75 or older underwent medical examinations at the Kailuan Group from 2006 to 2007, including 3478 males (94.67%) and 196 females (5.33%). Participants were divided into three groups based on the LDL-C level: the ideal level (LDL-C < 100 mg/dl), appropriate level (100 mg/dl ≤ LDL-C < 130 mg/dl) and elevated level (LDL-C ≥ 130 mg/dl) groups. CVD and all-cause mortality events were recorded during the follow-up period. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was applied to evaluate the effects of LDL-C on CVD and all-cause mortality events.

Results

The average follow-up time was 9.87 ± 3.60 years. After adjustment for confounding factors, the multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model showed that the CVD risk in the elevated level group was 1.45 (95% CI, 1.08–1.95), acute myocardial infarction risk was 1.96 (95% CI, 1.19–3.24) and all-cause mortality risk was 1.18 (95% CI, 1.02–1.37) compared with those in the ideal level group. For every standard deviation increase in LDL-C levels, the CVD risk increased by 10%, acute myocardial infarction risk increased by 21% and all-cause mortality event risk increased by 4%. No association was observed between elevated LDL-C levels and the risk of stroke.

Conclusions

In the sample of older Chinese individuals investigated in the present study, elevated LDL-C levels (≥130 mg/dl) are a risk factor for CVD and all-cause mortality.

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Data availability

Data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request and approval.

Code availability

Codes of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request and approval.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Jiaxin Yu, Xiaokun Liu

  2. These authors jointly supervised this work: Shouling Wu, Yuming Li

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Graduate School, Tianjin Medical University, 300051, Tianjin, P.R. China

    Jiaxin Yu

  2. Department of Cardiology, Tangshan Worker’s Hospital, 063000, Tangshan, P.R. China

    Jiaxin Yu, Xiaokun Liu & Hongwei Zheng

  3. Department of Cardiology, Kailuan General Hospital, 063000, Tangshan, P.R. China

    Shuohua Chen, Yan Liu, HongMin Liu & Shouling Wu

  4. Department of Cardiology, TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital, 300457, Tianjin, P.R. China

    Ning Yang & Yuming Li

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  1. Jiaxin Yu
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Contributions

Y.M.L. and S.L.W. developed the study concept and design. J.X.Y. and X.K.L. statistically analysed the data and wrote the first draft. S.H.C., Y.L., H.M.L., H.W.Z. and N.Y. acquired the data, analysed and interpreted the data and contributed to critical revision of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final submitted version of the manuscript. Y.M.L. is the study guarantor.

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Correspondence to Shouling Wu or Yuming Li.

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Yu, J., Liu, X., Chen, S. et al. Effects of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol on cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in elderly patients (≥75 years old). Endocrine 75, 418–426 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-021-02870-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-021-02870-3

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