This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kulkarni, K. R. Articles by Segrest, J. P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kulkarni, K. R. Articles by Segrest, J. P. Related Collections Risk Factors Genetics of cardiovascular disease Lipid and lipoprotein metabolism

(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 1999;19:2749.)
© 1999 American Heart Association, Inc.

Atherosclerosis and Lipoproteins

Increased Prevalence of Smaller and Denser LDL Particles in Asian Indians

Krishnaji R. Kulkarni; Jerome H. Markovitz; Navin C. Nanda; Jere P. Segrest

From the Departments of Medicine (K.R.K., J.H.M., N.C.N., J.P.S.) and Biochemistry (K.R.K., J.D.S.) and The Atherosclerosis Research Unit (K.R.K., J.P.S.), The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.

Correspondence to Krishnaji R. Kulkarni, PhD, Director of Research/Laboratory, Atherotech, 2100 Southbridge Pkwy, Suite 482, Birmingham, AL 35209. E-mail vap{at}atherotech.com

Abstract—There is increasing evidence to believe that Asian Indians are at an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), which cannot be attributed to the common risk factors. Individuals with small, dense LDL phenotype are also known to be at increased risk of CHD. Our objective was to examine whether the prevalence of smaller and denser LDL particles is increased in Asian Indians. Thirty-nine Asian Indians (22 men and 17 women), aged 25 to 45 years, were matched with 39 whites for age and gender. Cholesterol profiles of lipoprotein classes and LDL subclasses were measured using the Vertical Auto Profile–II (VAP-II) and LDL-VAP-II methods, respectively. Six LDL subclasses (LDL1 to LDL6) have been identified using the LDL-VAP-II, with LDL1 and LDL6, respectively, being the most and least buoyant subclasses. The prevalence of small, dense LDL type (subjects with major LDL subclass 5 or 6) was significantly higher in Asian Indians compared with white subjects (44% versus 21%; P<0.05). The relative position of the major LDL density peak (LDL-Rf) on 0 to 1 scale in LDL-VAP-II density gradient was also significantly decreased in Asian Indians (0.462±0.076 versus 0.505±0.086; P<0.02), suggesting an increased LDL density. Furthermore, this increased prevalence of small, dense LDL type appears to be due to the increased triglycerides (TG) (r for LDL-Rf versus TG=0.681, P<0.001), with fasting insulin being one of the important determinants of TG (r for TG versus fasting insulin=0.572, P<0.001). In addition, fasting insulin was significantly increased in Asian Indians with small, dense LDL type compared with other Asian Indians, suggesting a significant role of insulin resistance in increasing the prevalence of small, dense LDL type. We conclude that the increased prevalence of small, dense LDL observed in Asian Indians might contribute to their increased CHD risk.

Key Words: Asian Indians • small, dense LDL • insulin resistance • CHD risk

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Retnakaran, A. J.G. Hanley, and B. Zinman Does Hypoadiponectinemia Explain the Increased Risk of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in South Asians? Diabetes Care, August 1, 2006; 29(8): 1950 - 1954. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Gupta, N. Singh, and S. Verma South Asians and Cardiovascular Risk: What Clinicians Should Know Circulation, June 27, 2006; 113(25): e924 - e929. [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. S. Tzou, P. S. Douglas, S. R. Srinivasan, W. Chen, G. Berenson, and J. H. Stein Advanced Lipoprotein Testing Does Not Improve Identification of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Young Adults: The Bogalusa Heart Study Ann Intern Med, May 3, 2005; 142(9): 742 - 750. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. M Brady, S. S Lovegrove, S. V. Lesauvage, B. A Gower, A.-M. Minihane, C. M Williams, and J. A Lovegrove Increased n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids do not attenuate the effects of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on insulin sensitivity or triacylglycerol reduction in Indian Asians Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2004; 79(6): 983 - 991. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. P Cappuccio, A. Barbato, and S. M Kerry Hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular risk in ethnic minorities in the UK The British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease, July 1, 2003; 3(4): 286 - 293. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Kain and A. J Catto Insulin resistance syndrome in South Asians The British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease, September 1, 2002; 2(5): 398 - 402. [Abstract] [PDF]

				V. Mohan, R. Deepa, S. Shanthi Rani, and G. Premalatha Prevalence of coronary artery disease and its relationship to lipids in a selected population in South India: The Chennai Urban Population Study (CUPS No. 5) J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., September 1, 2001; 38(3): 682 - 687. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]