PLoS ONE (Jan 2013)

Low HDL-C level is associated with the development of intracranial artery stenosis: analysis from the Chinese IntraCranial AtheroSclerosis (CICAS) study.

  • Yining Qian,
  • Yuehua Pu,
  • Liping Liu,
  • David Z Wang,
  • Xingquan Zhao,
  • Chunxue Wang,
  • Yilong Wang,
  • Gaifen Liu,
  • Yuesong Pan,
  • Yongjun Wang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0064395
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 5
p. e64395

Abstract

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BackgroundIntracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) is an important cause of ischemic stroke worldwide. The role of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the development of ICAS remains to be elucidated. In the current study, we investigated the relationship of HDL-C level and the risk of developing ICAS in Chinese patients with acute ischemic stroke.MethodsFrom October 2007 to June 2009, a total of 1,984 consecutive ischemic stroke patients were evaluated for the presence of symptomatic ICAS by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Patients were classified into two groups: intracranial steno-occlusion (ICAS group, n = 888) and non-intracranial stenosis (NICAS group, n = 1096). Serum lipid profiles were analyzed and compared between the ICAS and NICAS group.ResultsSignificantly more patients in ICAS group had low HDL-C level (51.6%) than in the NICAS group (42.9%, PConclusionsLow HDL-C level is strongly associated with the development of ICAS. There was an inverse relationship between the level of HDL-C and the risk of developing ICAS.