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Low HDL cholesterol but not high LDL cholesterol is independently associated with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in healthy octogenarians

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Abstract

Aim of the study

Although low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has been consistently demonstrated a predictor of atherosclerotic disease in a large spectrum of clinical settings, among individuals aged of 80 years or older this concept is uncertain. This study was evaluated in a carefully selected population if the association between LDL-C and coronary atherosclerotic burden remains significant in the very elderly.

Methods

Individuals aged of 80 years or older (n = 208) who spontaneously sought primary prevention care and have never manifested cardiovascular disease, malnutrition, neoplastic or consumptive disease were enrolled for a cross-sectional analysis. Medical evaluation, anthropometric measurements, blood tests and cardiac computed tomography were obtained.

Results

In analyses adjusted for age, gender, diabetes, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, smoking and statin therapy, no association was found between coronary calcium score (CCS) and LDL-C [1.79 (0.75–4.29)]. There was no association between triglycerides and CCS. The association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and CCS was significant and robust in unadjusted [0.32 (0.15–0.67)] as well as in the fully adjusted analysis [0.34 (0.15–0.75)].

Conclusion

The present study confirms in a healthy cohort of individuals aged of 80 years or more that while the association between LDL-C and coronary atherosclerosis weakens with aging, the opposite occurs with the levels of HDL-C.

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Acknowledgments

Prof. Sposito was supported by a fellowship grant of productivity in research from the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq).

Conflict of interest

The authors do not have any conflict of interest related to the present study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas Medical School (UNICAMP), Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13084-971, Brazil

    Wladimir M. Freitas, Luiz A. Quaglia, Wilson Nadruz-Junior, Valeria N. Figueiredo & Andrei C. Sposito

  2. University of Brasilia Medical School (UnB), Brasilia, DF, Brazil

    Simone N. Santos & Rafaela C. S. de Paula

  3. Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil

    Raul D. Santos

  4. Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Michael Blaha, Juan J. Rivera, Roger Blumenthal & Khurram Nasir

  5. Center for Prevention and Wellness, Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, FL, USA

    Ricardo Cury & Khurram Nasir

  6. University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Arthur Agatston

Authors
  1. Wladimir M. Freitas
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  2. Luiz A. Quaglia
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  3. Simone N. Santos
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  4. Rafaela C. S. de Paula
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  5. Raul D. Santos
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  6. Michael Blaha
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  7. Juan J. Rivera
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  8. Ricardo Cury
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  9. Roger Blumenthal
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  10. Wilson Nadruz-Junior
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  11. Arthur Agatston
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  12. Valeria N. Figueiredo
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  13. Khurram Nasir
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  14. Andrei C. Sposito
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Consortia

The Brazilian Study on Healthy Aging

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrei C. Sposito.

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Freitas, W.M., Quaglia, L.A., Santos, S.N. et al. Low HDL cholesterol but not high LDL cholesterol is independently associated with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in healthy octogenarians. Aging Clin Exp Res 27, 61–67 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-014-0249-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-014-0249-4

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