Recent publications on Residual Risk

Findings from this study in patients with coronary artery disease suggest that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particle size and function may act as markers, or even mediators, of coronary atherosclerosis in humans.
 
The study included 80 patients with non-obstructive (<30% stenosis) coronary artery disease. Assessments included endothelial dysfunction, defined as <50% change in coronary blood flow in response to intra-coronary infusions of acetylcholine during diagnostic coronary angiograph; as well as cholesterol efflux capacity and HDL particle concentration (HDL-P). Whereas cholesterol efflux capacity and HDL-P were both significantly and inversely predictive of endothelial dysfunction (p<0.001 and 0.005, respectively), HDL cholesterol concentration was not informative. Therefore, this report supports the value of other measures beyond HDL cholesterol concentration as markers, or potentially mediators of atherosclerosis in patients with established coronary disease.