HDL Subclass Analysis in Predicting Metabolic Syndrome in Koreans With High HDL Cholesterol Levels

• Published in: Annals of laboratory medicine Vol. 40; no. 4; pp. 297 - 305
• Main Authors: Yang, Hyun Suk, Hur, Mina, Kim, Hanah, Kim, Sun Jong, Shin, Sojung, Di Somma, Salvatore
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine 01.07.2020; 대한진단검사의학회
• Subjects: Adult; Area Under Curve; Body Composition; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, HDL - chemistry; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Metabolic Syndrome - diagnosis; Metabolic Syndrome - metabolism; Middle Aged; Original; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; Republic of Korea; ROC Curve; Triglycerides - blood; 병리학; Republic of Korea; Subclass; High-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Metabolic syndrome; HDL3 cholesterol; Cardiovascular risk
• ISSN: 2234-3806; 2234-3814
• DOI: 10.3343/alm.2020.40.4.297

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is a complex mixture of subclasses with heterogeneous atheroprotective activities. We analyzed HDL-C subclass in relation to cardiovascular risk and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a population with high HDL-C levels. A total of 300 Korean individuals with high HDL-C levels (≥2.331 mmol/L) were enrolled following a comprehensive general medical examination including body composition analysis. HDL3-C levels were measured using the HDL3-EX SEIKEN kit (Randox Ltd., Crumlin, UK) and non-HDL3-C levels were calculated by subtracting HDL3-C levels from total HDL-C levels. HDL3-C levels and HDL3-C proportion had a weak positive correlation with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (r=0.21, r=0.25; r=0.26, r=0.34, respectively, all <0.001); in contrast, non-HDL3-C levels had a weak negative correlation with these parameters (r=-0.17 and r=-0.25, respectively, both <0.005). HDL3-C levels and HDL3-C proportion were significantly higher in the MetS group (N=8) than in the non-MetS group (0.71 vs 0.63 mmol/L, =0.001; 29.7 vs 25.8%, =0.001, respectively); these were the only predictors of MetS among the lipid variables (areas under the curves [AUC]=0.84 and 0.83, respectively, both =0.001). In populations with high HDL-C levels, HDL-C subclass may provide a greater amount of information on cardiovascular risk and MetS than HDL-C levels alone.