Plasma lipoprotein subclass variation in middle-aged and older adults: Sex-stratified distributions and associations with health status and cardiometabolic risk factors
Reika Masuda, Julien Wist, Samantha Lodge, Torben Kimhofer, Michael Hunter, Jennie Hui, John Beilby, John R. Burnett, Girish Dwivedi, Markus P. Schlaich, Sze-How Bong, Ruey Leng Loo, Elaine Holmes, Jeremy K. Nicholson, Bu B. Yeap
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Circulating lipids and lipoproteins mediate cardiovascular risk, however routine plasma lipid biochemistry provides limited information on pro-atherogenic remnant particles. OBJECTIVE: We analysed plasma lipoprotein subclasses including very low-density and intermediate-density lipoprotein (VLDL and IDL); and assessed their associations with health and cardiometabolic risk. METHODS: H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and associations with health status and cardiometabolic risk factors examined. RESULTS: HDL cholesterol was higher, and IDL and VLDL cholesterol and triglycerides lower, in very healthy women compared to other women, and women compared to men. IDL and VLDL cholesterol and triglyceride were lower in very healthy men compared to other men. HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein (apo) A-I were inversely, and IDL and VLDL cholesterol, apoB-100, and apoB-100/apoA-I ratio directly associated with body mass index (BMI) in women and men. In women, LDL, IDL and VLDL cholesterol increased with age. Women with diabetes and cardiovascular disease had higher cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids and free cholesterol across IDL and VLDL fractions, with similar trends for men with diabetes. CONCLUSION: Lipoprotein subclasses and density fractions, and their lipid and apolipoprotein constituents, are differentially distributed by sex, health status and BMI. Very healthy women and men are distinguished by favorable lipoprotein profiles, particularly lower concentrations of VLDL and IDL, providing reference intervals for comparison with general populations and adults with cardiometabolic risk factors.