Abstract
Background: Remnant lipoprotein induces arteriosclerosis progression. A direct assay of remnantlike particle-cholesterol (RLP-C) using a biochemical automatic analyzer was developed in 2006. In this study, we used intima media thickness (IMT) as an indication of arteriosclerosis and aimed to clarify the significance of serum RLP-C level for arteriosclerosis diagnosis. Methods and Results: A total of 251 individuals who came to our hospital for a medical checkup of the brain were included. The maximum IMT of the distal carotid wall was measured. Arteriosclerosis was defined according to the Research Group of Arteriosclerosis. The associations between arteriosclerosis and serum lipid level abnormality (LDL-C ≥ 140 mg/dL, HDL-C < 40 mg/dL, TG ≥ 150 mg/dL, LH ratio ≥ 2.6, non HDL-C ≥ 170 mg/dL, and RLP-C ≥ 7.6 mg/dL), as well as arteriosclerosis risk factors (age, smoking status, blood pressure, body mass index, HbA1c levels, and eGFR), were investigated. Univariate analysis showed that RLP-C levels ≥ 7.6 mg/dL and HbA1c levels ≥ 6.2% were significantly related to arteriosclerosis, and multivariate analysis also showed that HbA1c levels ≥ 6.2% were significantly associated with arteriosclerosis. A similar analysis in which the subjects were divided according to sex showed that RLP-C levels ≥ 7.6 mg/dL and HbA1c levels ≥ 6.2% were significant predictors for arteriosclerosis in women and men, respectively. Conclusions: RLP-C level measurement is useful for the diagnosis of arteriosclerosis in women.
