Lipid ratio useful indicator in predicting risk of myocardial infarction in elderly normolipidemic patients: a report from a multi center study

Abstract

To evaluate the usefulness of lipid ratios in predicting coronary heart disease risk in normolipidaemic myocardial infarct (MI) patients and compare the findings with healthy controls. Lipid profile was determined in 1 021 normolipidaemic myocardial infarct patients and was compared with 1 021 age/sex-matched controls. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) were analyzed enzymatically using kits obtained from Randox Laboratories Limited, Crumlin, UK. Plasma LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) was determined from the values of TC and HDL-C using the friedwald's formula. The values were expressed as mean±SD and data from patients and controls were compared using students' t-test. TC, TC/HDL-C ratio, TG, LDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were higher in MI patients (P<0.001). HDL-C concentration was significantly lower in MI patients than controls (P<0.001). Higher ratio of TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C was observed in acute myocardial infarct patients as compared with controls. Establishment of lipid ratio from routine lipid profile assay could be very useful in predicting the future risk of acute mocardial infarction.