A study conducted in 555 heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia patients shows significantly higher triglycerides levels in those with cardiovascular disease compared with those without. The association between CVD and the atherogenic index was also significant. The atherogenic index is also a good surrogate for the presence of atherogenic small LDL and small HDL particles.

The logarithm of the triglyceride/HDL-cholesterol ratio is related to the history of cardiovascular disease in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.
Soska V, Jarkovsky J, Ravcukova B, Tichy L, Fajkusova L, Freiberger T
Clin Biochem. 2011 Nov 18

The Study of Coronary Atheroma by Intravascular Ultrasound: Effect of Rosuvastatin versus Atorvastatin (SATURN) compared the effect of maximal doses of atorvastatin (80 mg daily) or rosuvastatin (40 mg daily) on the progression of coronary atherosclerosis assessed by intravascular ultrasonography in patients with at least one vessel with 20% stenosis on coronary angiography. Among the 1,039 patients eligible for analysis after 104 weeks of treatment, those in the rosuvastatin group had lower LDL-C levels (62.6 vs. 70.2 mg/dL [1.62 vs. 1.82 mmol/L], P<0.001), and higher HDL-C levels (50.4 vs. 48.6 mg/dL [1.30 vs. 1.26 mmol/L], P=0.01) than those in the atorvastatin group. Both statins induced regression in the majority of patients: 63.2% with atorvastatin and 68.5% with rosuvastatin for percent atheroma volume (P=0.07) and 64.7% and 71.3%, respectively, for total atheroma volume (P=0.02). Both high-dose statin regimens were well tolerated. Although treatment with rosuvastatin was associated with a more favorable lipid profile, there were no significant between-group differences in the rates of major clinical events. These rates were extremely low for such a population: 1.6% for myocardial infarction, 0.4% for stroke and 0.3% for cardiovascular death during 24 months follow-up at a central site. These results confirm that intensive lipid-lowering with statins is associated with favorable clinical outcomes but suggest that no substantial additional benefit can be obtained once a LDL-C level as low as 70 mg/dL has been reached in this high-risk population. However, the study was not powered to detect between-group differences in major adverse clinical events.

Effect of Two Intensive Statin Regimens on Progression of Coronary Disease
Stephen J. Nicholls, M.B., B.S., Ph.D., Christie M. Ballantyne, M.D., Philip J. Barter, M.B., B.S., Ph.D., M. John Chapman, Ph.D., D.Sc., Raimund M. Erbel, M.D., Peter Libby, M.D., Joel S. Raichlen, M.D., Kiyoko Uno, M.D., Marilyn Borgman, R.N., Kathy Wolski, M.P.H., and Steven E. Nissen, M.D.
N Engl J Med 2011; 365:2078-2087

The authors of a meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal report that compared to standard treatment, intensive glucose lowering treatment did not significantly affect all-cause mortality or cardiovascular death. However, the intensive treatment significantly reduced by 15% the risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction and by 10% the risk of microalbuminuria (P<0.01 for both comparisons) – with no effect on the other microvascular complications of diabetes. The intensive treatment was also associated with a more than twofold increase in the risk of severe hypoglycemia (P<0.01). “The harm associated with severe hypoglycemia might counterbalance the potential benefit of intensive glucose lowering treatment,” the authors write.

Effect of intensive glucose lowering treatment on all cause mortality, cardiovascular death, and microvascular events in type 2 diabetes: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Boussageon R, Bejan-Angoulvant T, Saadatian-Elahi M, et al
BMJ 2011; 343:d4169