Rosenson - Figure 13 - Summary Text

In summary, these data from the MESA trial are clearly important, for they are telling us that

• HDL particle concentration is more strongly related to risk assessed by cIMT than are serum HDL cholesterol levels;
• the relationship persists in models adjusting for LDL particle concentration;
• future CVD events are predicted by all of the HDL particle subclasses,
• the higher the concentrations of the large, intermediate, and small HDL particles, the lower the risk of CVD events

In other words, new information has come from a more complete statistical analysis, and as a result we need to revisit the level of statistical adjustment in our prospective studies and clinical trials to ensure that we are not misinterpreting a biomarker such as serum HDL cholesterol, which is interacting in a very dynamic fashion with other circulating lipoproteins.

Rosenson RS. J Clin Lipidol. 2011; 5(6).