© 1996 American Heart Association, Inc.
Articles |
Lipoprotein Subclasses in the Monitored Atherosclerosis Regression Study (MARS)
Treatment Effects and Relation to Coronary Angiographic Progression
From the Statistical Consultation and Research Center, Department of Preventive Medicine (W.J.M., H.N.H.), and the Atherosclerosis Research Unit, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine (H.N.H.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and Donner Laboratory (R.M.K.), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley.
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Abstract |
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Abstract Accumulating evidence suggests that triglyceride-rich lipoproteins contribute to coronary artery disease. Using data from the Monitored Atherosclerosis Regression Study, an angiographic trial of middle-aged men and women randomized to lovastatin or placebo, we investigated relationships between lipoprotein subclasses and progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis. Coronary artery lesion progression was determined by quantitative coronary angiography in low-grade (<50% diameter stenosis), high-grade (
50% diameter stenosis), and all coronary artery
lesions in 220 baseline/2-year angiogram pairs. Analytical
ultracentrifugation was used to measure lipoprotein
masses that were statistically evaluated for treatment group
differences and relationships to progression of coronary artery
atherosclerosis. All low density lipoprotein (LDL),
intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL), and very low density
lipoprotein (VLDL) masses were significantly lowered and all high
density lipoprotein (HDL) masses were significantly raised with
lovastatin therapy. The mass of smallest LDL (Svedberg
flotation rate [Sf] 0 to 3), IDL (Sf 12 to
20), all VLDL subclasses (Sf 20 to 60, Sf 60 to
100, and Sf 100 to 400), and peak LDL flotation rate were
significantly related to the progression of coronary artery
lesions, specifically low-grade lesions. Greater baseline levels of
HDL3 were related to a lower likelihood of coronary
artery lesion progression. In multivariate
analyses, small VLDL (Sf 20 to 60) and
HDL3 mass were the most important correlates of
coronary artery lesion progression. These results provide
further evidence for the importance of
triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in the progression of
coronary artery disease. In addition, these results present
new evidence for the possible protective role of HDL3 in
the progression of coronary artery lesions. More specific
information on coronary artery lesion progression may be
obtained through the study of specific apolipoprotein B–containing
lipoproteins.
Key Words: triglyceride-rich lipoproteins • coronary angiography • angiographic trials • lipoprotein subclasses • coronary artery disease
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Introduction |
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The Monitored Atherosclerosis Regression Study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized serial angiographic trial testing whether reduction of LDL cholesterol by lovastatin would favorably alter the progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis.1 The primary study end point was average change in percent diameter stenosis of coronary artery lesions measured by QCA. Study results indicated no significant treatment effect for all lesions (average
%S=+2.2 in placebo, +1.6 in lovastatin group; NS). A
significant treatment effect was seen for high-grade (50%S)
baseline lesions (average %S=+0.9 in placebo, -4.1 in
lovastatin groups; P<.01) but not for
low-grade (<50%S) baseline lesions (average %S=+3.0 in
placebo, +2.6 in lovastatin group; NS).2
We have previously reported a within-treatment group
analysis of clinical and lipid risk factors for angiographic
progression of CAD in MARS.3 In the placebo group, risk
factors for the progression of low-grade (<50%S) lesions were
total triglycerides and the total
cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio. Risk factors
for progression of high-grade (50%S) lesions were HDL
cholesterol, and the LDL cholesterol/HDL
cholesterol and total cholesterol/HDL
cholesterol ratios. In the lovastatin group,
risk factors for progression of low-grade lesions were total
triglycerides and the VLDL-LDL–associated apo
C-III–heparin precipitate, a marker of
triglyceride-rich lipoprotein
metabolism.4 Risk factors for progression of
high-grade lesions were LDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein
B, and the LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol and
total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratios. These
results indicate that triglyceride-rich lipoproteins
(and their markers) and cholesterol ester–rich
lipoproteins (and their markers) have differential effects on
coronary artery lesion progression according to lesion
severity.
Reports from other serial coronary angiographic studies have provided additional evidence that triglyceride-rich lipoproteins play an important role in the progression of CAD.5 To further investigate the role of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in CAD, we now extend these analyses to investigate the relationship between coronary artery lesion progression and mass of lipoprotein subclasses measured by analytical ultracentrifugation. We also report the effects of lovastatin on these lipoprotein subclasses. We hypothesized that triglyceride-rich lipoprotein subclasses would correlate with coronary artery lesion progression. We further hypothesized that consistent with our earlier report,3 triglyceride-rich lipoprotein subclasses would show a greater correlation with progression of low-grade versus high-grade coronary artery lesions.
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Methods |
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MARS Study Design
Subjects were 270 men and women, 37 to 67 years of age, with total cholesterol levels ranging from 4.92 to 7.64 mmol/L (190 to 295 mg/dL). All subjects had CAD documented by coronary angiography, meeting the following criteria: (1) at least two coronary segments exhibiting CAD and (2) at least one unoccluded segment showing a minimum 50%S unaltered by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Subjects were randomized to lovastatin 80 mg daily or lovastatin placebo. All subjects had dietary counseling with dietary cholesterol goals of 250 mg or less per day, total dietary fat 27% of calories or less, saturated fat 7% of calories or less, and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated dietary fats each with 10% of calories or less.1
Coronary Angiography and Study End Points
Baseline/2-year coronary angiographic film pairs were
obtained on 247 study subjects by use of the
percutaneous femoral technique with sufficient right
and left anterior oblique views to clearly visualize all
coronary artery lesions. After completion of the 2-year
angiogram, QCA was performed blinded to treatment group assignment.
Baseline/2-year film pairs were processed in tandem with dual
projectors to match frames for orientation and degree of contrast
filling. Percent diameter stenosis of all coronary
artery lesions identified by a panel of expert angiographers was
measured.1 Three sequential frames exposed during end
diastole were digitized when possible; otherwise three
sequential frames from other phases of the cardiac cycle were used. For
each lesion evaluable by QCA, %S (at baseline and follow-up) and
%S (equal to follow-up minus baseline %S) were measured and
averaged over the three frames.6 The primary study end
point was lesion %S, averaged over all QCA-evaluable lesions. The
%S was also separately averaged over low-grade (<50%S) and
high-grade (50%S) baseline lesions. Twenty-three film pairs
with nitroglycerin administered to the subject during
one of the angiograms only and four film pairs not evaluable by QCA
were excluded from the analysis, leaving 220 film pairs with
QCA data.
Laboratory Measurements
Plasma samples for lipoprotein subclasses were obtained from
study subjects after an 8-hour fast. Samples were stored at
-4°C and transported on wet ice to the Donner Laboratory,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California,
Berkeley. Total mass of lipoprotein subclasses was measured by
analytical ultracentrifugation, which generates a
Schlieren curve representing the distribution of
lipoprotein particle mass as a function of particle flotation rate
(Sf). Lipoproteins of flotation rate Sf 0 to
400 were measured in the d<1.063 g/mL fraction of plasma
separated by preparative
ultracentrifugation.7
Computer-based analysis of the resulting Schlieren curves
then was used to measure the total mass of VLDL in 14 intervals between
Sf 20 to 400, IDL in four intervals between Sf
12 to 20, and LDL in 11 intervals between Sf 0 to 12. A
measure of the peak LDL flotation rate was also obtained as the
flotation rate at which LDL mass concentration was greatest. HDLs of
flotation rate F1.20 0 to 9 were measured in the
d<1.21 g/mL fraction of plasma.7 Masses in
specific intervals were summed to obtain measures of total lipoprotein
mass of three HDL subclasses (HDL3 [F1.20 0 to
3.5], HDL2 [F1.20 3.5 to 9], and
total HDL [F1.20 0 to 9]), five LDL subclasses (LDL-IV
[Sf 0 to 3], LDL-III [Sf 3 to 5], LDL-II
[Sf 5 to 7], LDL-I [Sf 7 to 12]), and total
LDL [Sf 0 to 12]), one IDL subclass (Sf 12 to
20), and four VLDL subclasses (small VLDL [Sf 20 to 60],
intermediate VLDL [Sf 60 to 100], large VLDL
[Sf 100 to 400], and total VLDL [Sf 20 to
400]). Samples for measurements of lipoprotein subclasses were
obtained at one baseline visit and four on-trial visits (every 6
months on-trial). Of the 270 randomized subjects, 263 had baseline,
264 had on-trial, and 257 had both baseline and on-trial
lipoprotein subclass measurements.
Statistical Analysis
Treatment group comparisons of baseline levels and on-trial
changes in lipoprotein subclasses were performed with the
nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum test because of the
nonnormality of many of these measures. For the same reason,
within-group changes from baseline in lipoprotein subclasses were
analyzed with the Wilcoxon signed rank test.
Logistic regression procedures were used to determine whether
lipoprotein subclasses were correlated with angiographic progression of
coronary artery lesions. The following binary indicators of
progression were used: (1) progression/no progression (%S>0) based
on average %S in low-grade (<50%S) lesions and (2)
progression/no progression (%S>0) based on average change in
high-grade (50%S) lesions. Since other studies examining
angiographic relationships to these types of data have evaluated
progression over all coronary artery lesions, we also examined
associations with a binary progression variable of progression/no
progression (%S>0) based on average change in all evaluable
coronary artery lesions. The cutpoint at 0 was chosen to
represent an overall average progression (average change >0)
or nonprogression (average change 
0) and was the only cutpoint
attempted. This cutpoint is significantly associated with an assessment
of overall coronary angiographic change derived from consensus
panels of expert angiographers (the global coronary change
score [2]) when it is similarly dichotomized to represent
overall coronary progression versus nonprogression
(P<.0001 for the QCA cutpoint evaluated over all,
low-grade, and high-grade lesions).
Logistic regression analyses were conducted within each
treatment group and in the combined sample with a covariate included to
control for treatment group. Baseline and on-trial levels of the
lipoprotein subclasses were tested for their association with these
binary progression variables. Tests of association of on-trial
levels of lipoprotein subclasses with coronary artery lesion
progression were adjusted for baseline levels of the lipoprotein
subclass. ORs and 95% CIs were computed and expressed per approximate
standard deviation (computed in the total sample) of each lipoprotein
subclass. Likelihood ratio 
2 tests were used to
compute significance levels on the ORs, and a two-sided 
of 0.05
was used. As a corroborative analysis, multiple linear
regression methods were also used, using %S as a continuous
dependent variable. Because results were essentially the same as
provided by the logistic regression analyses, and OR estimates
provided a more easily interpretable measure of association, the
results of the logistic regression analyses are
presented as the primary analysis.
Multivariate logistic regression models were developed
with the use of a stepwise forward selection process. At the first
step, the on-trial lipoprotein subclass with the largest likelihood
ratio 2 and its corresponding baseline level were
included in the model. Subsequent steps tested the statistical
significance of the additional contribution of other on-trial
lipoprotein subclasses (with their baseline level forced into the
model). This process was repeated until no variables added
significantly to the multivariate model.
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Results |
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Baseline Characteristics
Clinical features as well as average lipid and apolipoprotein levels in the 220 subjects with both QCA end point and lipoprotein subclass data are provided in Table 1
. The majority of
subjects were men, with an average age of 58 years. Although the cohort
on average was normotensive at randomization, 45% (98 subjects) had a
history of hypertension. The large majority of subjects (82%) were
nonsmokers at baseline; however, many of these subjects (61% of the
sample) were former smokers. More than 50% of the subjects had had a
myocardial infarction and approximately 15% of subjects had undergone
a coronary revascularization procedure
(angioplasty or bypass surgery) at some time before the study.
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Thirty-four percent (n=74) of the subjects had total cholesterol levels of 6.20 mmol/L (240 mg/dL) or greater, and 44% (n=96) had LDL cholesterol levels of 4.1 mmol/L (160 mg/dL) or greater at baseline. Treatment group comparisons on on-trial changes in lipids and apolipoproteins have been described in detail elsewhere.2 3 In brief, the lovastatin group exhibited significant decreases in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total triglyceride, and apolipoprotein B levels and a significant increase in HDL cholesterol.
Baseline/2-year angiographic film pairs were evaluated by QCA for 1889
total lesions in the 220 subjects (an average of 8.6 lesions per
subject). The majority of lesions (83%, 1569 lesions) were <50%S at
baseline. On average, lesions were moderately stenotic at
baseline (Table 1
). Angiographic progression of lesions <50%S
(average %S>0) was evident in 132 of 217 subjects (61%), while
angiographic progression of lesions 50%S was evident in 57 of 156
subjects (37%).
Lipoprotein Subclasses: Treatment Effects
Consistent with lipid and apolipoprotein changes
previously reported in the MARS study,2 3 the
lovastatin-treated group showed statistically
significant on-trial decreases in all LDL, IDL, and VLDL subclasses
relative to the placebo group (Table 2). Lipoprotein
mass in HDL2, and to a lesser extent
HDL3, showed significant on-trial increases in
the lovastatin group. The peak LDL flotation rate also
showed a significant increase in the lovastatin group
relative to the placebo group, indicating a shift to larger, more
buoyant LDL particles.
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Lipoprotein Subclasses: Relationship to Coronary Artery
Lesion Progression
Table 3 displays the significant correlates of
angiographic progression (average %S>0) analyzed within
each treatment group and for the combined sample. Analyses of
all on-trial levels of lipoprotein subclasses are adjusted for
their baseline levels. OR estimates are expressed per approximate
standard deviation (computed in the total sample) of each lipoprotein
subclass. OR estimates >1 indicate that higher levels of the
variable are associated with angiographic progression, and OR
estimates <1 indicate that higher levels of the variable are
associated with nonprogression. OR estimates significantly different
from 1 are highlighted in Table 3; for comparison, other
analyses for the significant lipoprotein subclasses are also
presented.
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Progression of High-Grade (50%S) Lesions
No lipoprotein subclass variables were significantly related
to the progression of high-grade (50%S) lesions in either the
placebo, lovastatin, or combined treatment groups. For
comparison with OR estimates associated with progression of
low-grade and all coronary artery lesions, the results for
these high-grade coronary artery lesions are provided for
the combined treatment sample in Table 3. All OR estimates were close
to the null value of 1.0, ranging from 0.8 (baseline
HDL3) to 1.3 (on-trial peak LDL flotation rate), in
contrast to statistically significantly elevated OR estimates for other
lesion classes, ranging from 1.7 to 2.9. Similar results were obtained
for analyses conducted by treatment group.
Correlates of Coronary Artery Lesion Progression in the
Placebo Group
In the placebo group, higher on-trial levels of LDL-IV
(Sf 0 to 3), IDL, small VLDL, intermediate VLDL, large
VLDL, and total VLDL masses were correlated with progression of
low-grade (<50%S) baseline lesions. These results were
essentially equivalent when progression was evaluated over all
coronary artery lesions in the placebo group; however, LDL-IV
and large VLDL were not significantly associated to progression over
all coronary artery lesions. Similar to LDL-IV, the OR
estimates for LDL-III (Sf 3 to 5) were also elevated
(in the placebo group, OR=1.5 per 30 mg/dL, 95% CI=0.9 to 2.5 for
progression of low-grade lesions and OR=1.4 per 30 mg/dL, 95%
CI=0.8 to 2.2 for progression evaluated over all coronary
artery lesions); however, these ORs were not statistically
significantly elevated. ORs for LDL-II (Sf 5 to 7) and
LDL-I (Sf 7 to 12) were not elevated (data not
shown).
Correlates of Coronary Artery Lesion Progression in the
Lovastatin Group
In the lovastatin group, the single statistically
significant correlate of coronary angiographic progression of
low-grade lesions was a lower on-trial peak LDL flotation rate.
Although not statistically significant, OR estimates for all VLDL
subclasses were elevated and roughly equivalent to corresponding ORs in
the placebo group. When angiographic progression was evaluated over all
coronary lesions, the single significant correlate of
progression was a lower level of HDL3 mass at baseline.
Correlates of Coronary Artery Lesion Progression in the
Combined Treatment Groups
In the combined sample, analyses were conducted
controlling for treatment group as well as baseline levels of
lipoprotein subclasses (Table 3). Significant correlates of
progression of low-grade lesions were higher on-trial levels of
IDL, small and intermediate VLDL, and total VLDL masses and a lower
on-trial peak LDL flotation rate. When evaluated over all
coronary artery lesions, lower levels of baseline
HDL3 and higher on-trial levels of LDL-IV and small,
intermediate, and total VLDL masses were significant correlates of
coronary artery lesion progression.
Stepwise Multivariate Models
Stepwise logistic regression procedures were used to identify
statistically independent correlates of coronary artery lesion
progression. For each model, independent variables selected for
possible entry into the stepwise model were those lipoprotein
subclasses identified as significant correlates in Table 3. Stepwise
procedures were conducted for the placebo and combined treatment
groups. Results of these multivariate models are shown
in Table 4.
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In the placebo group, the on-trial level of small VLDL mass was the single independent correlate of progression of low-grade lesions. The on-trial levels of IDL and intermediate VLDL masses were statistically independent correlates of angiographic progression evaluated over all coronary artery lesions.
Because only single lipoprotein subclasses were significantly related
to progression of coronary disease in the
lovastatin group, the multivariate results
are equivalent to Table 3 results. Specifically, the on-trial peak
LDL flotation rate was inversely related to progression of
low-grade coronary artery lesions, and the HDL3
mass at baseline was inversely related to progression evaluated over
all coronary artery lesions.
In the combined treatment groups, the stepwise model forced in treatment group as well as baseline levels of significant lipoprotein subclasses. The on-trial small VLDL mass was the single independent correlate of coronary artery lesion progression of low-grade lesions. Statistically independent correlates of progression evaluated over all coronary artery lesions in the stepwise model were baseline HDL3 and the on-trial small VLDL mass.
Multiple Linear Regression Models
Coronary angiographic progression was also modeled as a
continuous outcome variable. Because results in general were
markedly similar to those obtained using logistic regression procedures
in Table 3, only results for the combined sample, controlling for
baseline lipoprotein subclasses and treatment group, are provided.
Lipoprotein subclasses significantly positively correlated to
angiographic progression evaluated over all coronary artery
lesions (%S) were on-trial levels of LDL-IV (partial
r=.17, P<.02), IDL (partial r=.15,
P<.03), and small VLDL (partial r=.28),
intermediate VLDL (partial r=.42), large VLDL (partial
r=.41), and total VLDL (partial r=.41, all
P<.0001). Negative correlations with baseline
HDL3 (partial r=-.13, P=.053)
and on-trial peak LDL flotation rate (partial
r=-.13, P=.052) were of marginal
significance. When progression of low-grade coronary artery
lesions was modeled as a continuous variable, lipoprotein
subclasses significantly correlated to progression were on-trial
levels of IDL (partial r=.17, P<.02) and small
VLDL (partial r=.39), intermediate VLDL (partial
r=.41), large VLDL (partial r=.36), and total
VLDL (partial r=.41, all P<.0001).
On-trial levels of LDL-II (partial r=-.16,
P<.02) were negatively correlated to progression of
low-grade lesions, and the negative correlation with peak LDL
flotation rate was of marginal significance (partial
r=-.13, P=.07). After adjustment for
baseline subclass level and treatment group, no subclasses were
significantly related to the progression of high-grade
coronary artery lesions.
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Discussion |
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It is well established that elevated LDL cholesterol levels are associated with the risk for development of CAD. Coronary angiographic trials have demonstrated that lowering LDL cholesterol levels reduces progression of coronary artery lesions, which in turn is related to a reduction in clinical coronary events.8 9 10 HDL cholesterol levels are inversely related to coronary heart disease risk. However, the relation of HDL cholesterol levels and CHD risk is complicated by the inverse association between triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and HDL cholesterol metabolism. Less well understood is the independent relationship of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and progression of coronary artery lesions. Nonetheless, there is a growing body of evidence that indicates that triglyceride-rich lipoproteins are atherogenic.5 By examination of specific lipoprotein subclasses, results from this study add compelling new evidence for the independent roles of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in promoting the progression of CAD and of HDL3 in reducing the progression of CAD.
Lipoprotein Subclass Relationships by Coronary Artery
Lesion Severity
Results from this study confirm our previous findings that
lipoprotein risk factors have a differential effect on lesion
progression according to baseline lesion severity. When examined in
lesions <50%S at baseline, coronary angiographic progression
was associated primarily with lipoprotein levels in the intermediate
(IDL) and very low density (VLDL) range. These results were
statistically significant in the placebo and combined samples. Although
not statistically significant, ORs corresponding to these lipoprotein
subclasses were equivalently elevated in the drug group. Interaction
tests indicated that ORs for the VLDL subclasses did not vary by
treatment group, suggesting that these relationships to progression of
low-grade lesions were apparent throughout a range of lipoprotein
levels. The inverse association in the
lovastatin-treated group between the LDL peak flotation
rate and progression of lesions <50%S is consistent with the
association between VLDL mass and progression of these lesions, since
LDL size and density are inversely related to
triglyceride-rich lipoprotein
levels.11
In this study, no lipoprotein subclasses were related to the
progression of high-grade baseline lesions (50%S). Because
measurement of higher-grade coronary artery lesions by QCA
entails more measurement error than does measurement of less severe
lesions,12 it is possible that measures of association
were biased toward the null value of 1, with an associated loss of
statistical power. However, given the consistency of these
null findings across all lipoprotein subclasses, it is more likely that
these results reflect a true finding. Additionally, since cellular
fibrous tissue is often found at earlier stages of plaque development
(<50%S) and dense fibrous tissue at later stages of plaque
development (50%S), there may be a pathological explanation for
the differential relationship of lipoproteins and lesion
progression according to baseline lesion
severity.13 14
The large majority of studies that have used coronary
angiography to assess the relationship between the extent of existing
CAD or coronary artery lesion progression with levels of
various risk factors have assessed progression over all
coronary artery lesions. For comparison with these reports, we
also analyzed the relationship of lipoprotein subclasses to
angiographic change in all evaluable coronary lesions. In
general, these analyses produced results that were remarkably
similar to those for low-grade baseline lesions alone (Table 3).
In addition, HDL3 mass (F1.20 0 to 3.5)
measured at baseline was found to be significantly inversely associated
with coronary artery lesion progression.
Lipoprotein Subclasses and Progression of Coronary
Artery Disease
Studies that have cross-sectionally examined the relationship
between lipoprotein subclasses and the extent or severity of CAD
assessed angiographically have implicated
triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (including IDL and
VLDL) as major contributors to coronary
atherosclerosis.15 16 17 In particular,
lipoproteins in the Sf 12 to 60 range (IDL and small VLDL
levels) in these studies emerged as independent correlates of the
extent of CAD.
Other than this report, there is little information available concerning the relationship between lipoprotein subclasses and progression of coronary artery lesions.5 Krauss et al18 measured lipoprotein mass concentrations by analytical ultracentrifugation at baseline and after 2 years in a subset of 57 men from the NHLBI Type II Coronary Intervention Study by the same methods for measurement of lipoproteins as those in the present study. Lesion progression over 5 years was associated with change in IDL mass (Sf 12 to 20) over 2 years but not with change in LDL mass (Sf 0 to 12), VLDL mass (Sf 20 to 400), HDL2 mass (F1.20 3.5 to 9), or HDL3 mass (F1.20 0 to 3.5). The association of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins with the progression of CAD in the NHLBI Type II Study is consistent with the results of the present study, particularly for lesions <50%S in the placebo group. Since the placebo group in our study was an unintervened group, these results have important implications for the independent role of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in the natural progression of CAD.
In a more recent report, on-trial concentrations of IDL
(
=1.006 to 1.019 kg/L), LDL2 (=1.019 to
1.040 kg/L), LDL3 (=1.040 to 1.063 kg/L), and
HDL3 (=1.125 to 1.210 kg/L) subfractions were correlated
with change in arterial luminal dimensions.19
On-trial LDL3 concentration was the most strongly
associated lipoprotein with luminal dimensional changes. However,
because of limited baseline lipoprotein measures, these on-trial
associations with progression of CAD were not adjusted for the possible
confounding bias of baseline lipoprotein subclass levels. In another
recent study, progression of CAD was found to be related to the sum of
a calculated IDL fraction and estimated level of remnant VLDL
cholesterol, which was also a statistically significant
prognostic factor for the development of clinical coronary
events.20
In the present study, when LDL subfraction masses were examined in
the intervals Sf 0 to 3, Sf 3 to 5,
Sf 5 to 7, and Sf 7 to 12, LDL mass
Sf 0 to 3 was significantly correlated with progression of
all coronary artery lesions in both placebo and
lovastatin groups combined and of low-grade lesions in
the placebo group. This suggests that the smallest, most dense LDL
particles are associated with progression of coronary artery
lesions, particularly low-grade lesions. However, this small LDL-IV
mass (Sf 0 to 3) was the LDL subclass least affected by
lovastatin therapy (Table 2). The LDL-IV mass was also
highly correlated with all VLDL subclasses (r=.49 to .67
in the placebo group, all P<.0001) and specifically, small
VLDL (r=.67 in the placebo group, P<.0001),
whereas other LDL subclasses were less strongly or inversely correlated
with the VLDL subclasses. Small, dense LDL particles are the major LDL
species characteristic of the atherogenic pattern B LDL
phenotype. This phenotype has been further
characterized by increased levels of triglycerides, IDL,
and VLDL masses.21 Elevated levels of this small LDL mass
thus may be a marker for elevated levels of
triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, particularly VLDLs.
In the same cohort of MARS subjects reported here, we previously demonstrated that apo C-III was a predominant risk factor for the progression of lesions <50%S. Apo C-III and its distribution between HDL and LDL-VLDL is a marker of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein metabolism.4 Furthermore, apo C-III in VLDL is associated with smaller, more dense VLDL subclasses believed to be particularly atherogenic.22 23 In the present study, both small VLDL mass (Sf 20 to 60) and intermediate VLDL mass (Sf 60 to 100) were associated with progression of lesions <50%S. At baseline, the correlations between apo C-III in the LDL-VLDL fraction and VLDL subclasses were .72 for total VLDL mass, .68 for Sf 20 to 60 mass (small VLDL), .70 for Sf 60 to 100 mass (intermediate VLDL), and .67 for Sf 100 to 400 mass (large VLDL) (all P<.0001). Therefore, by two completely independent methods of identifying triglyceride-rich lipoproteins on the basis of different physiochemical properties, one based on protein composition (electroimmunoassay for apo C-III) and the other based on lipoprotein mass (analytical ultracentrifugation), the relationship between progression of lesions <50%S and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins is confirmed. In CLAS, apo C-III as well as non-HDL cholesterol were also associated with the progression of coronary artery lesions.24 It has recently been proposed that non-HDL cholesterol may provide a more meaningful method of risk assessment than the traditional measure of LDL cholesterol.25
Our previous report from MARS also indicated that both the total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratios were significantly associated with progression of both low-grade and high-grade coronary artery lesions.3 In the MARS sample, these ratios were moderately to strongly correlated with most of the lipoprotein subclasses (for the total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio, absolute r=.11 to .74, median r=.56 in the placebo group and absolute r=.10 to .65, median r=.47 in the lovastatin group; for the LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio, absolute r=.02 to .71, median r=.45 in the placebo group, and absolute r=.07 to 0.66, median r=.27 in the lovastatin group). These lipoprotein ratios thus appear to be excellent clinical indicators of the likelihood of disease progression by simultaneously reflecting the contribution of each individual lipoprotein subclass to the progression of CAD. However, these ratios do not elucidate which specific lipoproteins may be the most important contributors to progression of CAD. We therefore used our measurements of lipoprotein subclasses to show that both triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (specifically small VLDL) and HDL3 masses were the specific lipoproteins associated with progression of disease in the MARS cohort. Such an analysis of lipoprotein subclasses yields more specific hypotheses about pathophysiology and potential avenues of intervention than do analyses of lipoprotein ratios, which are not biologically meaningful parameters.
Although on-trial small LDL mass (Sf 0 to 3) was associated with CAD in this study, total LDL mass was not associated with progression of coronary artery lesions. Although LDL cholesterol is an established risk factor for CAD, it has failed to show a relation to coronary artery lesion progression in several studies.5 This has been particularly evident in studies that have been reported with separation of IDL from LDL.5 As in this study, IDL but not total LDL was associated with CAD progression; in our study this was evident in low-grade coronary artery lesions as well as in the all coronary artery lesion analysis. However, IDL and small LDL (LDL-IV) were significantly correlated in the MARS placebo group (r=.39 in the placebo group, P<.0001; r=.06 in the lovastatin group, NS). Associations between LDL levels and progression of CAD reported in some studies may be the result of increased levels of IDL cholesterol or of small dense LDL cholesterol included in the measurement of total LDL cholesterol. The lack of association between LDL and CAD progression also may be due in part to MARS subject selection in that eligibility criteria required all subjects to have elevated total cholesterol levels before randomization.
There is accumulating evidence that HDL3 has an equal or
even stronger relationship to existing CAD (defined angiographically)
than does HDL2.26 27 28 Our finding of an
association between HDL3 and progression of
coronary artery lesions is supported by epidemiological
data29 30 31 and most recently by ancillary data from another
serial coronary angiographic trial examining on-trial
lipoprotein levels and the progression of CAD.19 In our
study, HDL3 mass was the lipoprotein subclass least altered
by lovastatin treatment relative to the placebo group
(Table 2). It is therefore possible that with reduction of all other
lipoprotein subclasses, lovastatin therapy unmasked low
HDL3 levels as a risk factor for progression of
coronary artery lesions. While HDL2 masses
were significantly correlated with VLDL subclasses in the MARS sample
(r=-.20 to -.39 in the placebo group,
.05<P<.0001; r=-.29 to -.38 in the
lovastatin group, .01<P<.0001),
HDL3 mass was not correlated to these
triglyceride-rich lipoprotein masses
(r=-.03 to -.23 in the placebo group, all but
one correlation NS; r=.03 to .10 in the
lovastatin group, all NS). This suggests that
HDL3 mass reflects some aspect of lipoprotein
metabolism that is likely independent of
triglyceride-rich lipoproteins; HDL3 mass
was thus, along with small VLDL mass, a statistically independent
correlate of coronary artery lesion progression in the combined
treatment group analysis.
Given the large number of associations tested in this study (14
lipoprotein subclass variables x3 lesion size classes x3
treatment group classes=126 associations), it is possible that the
significant associations found might have occurred by chance. However,
several points argue against this interpretation. First, at an
level of 0.05, there would be 6.3 (126x0.05) statistically
significant findings expected by chance alone. Our data showed 22
statistically significant associations (Table 3). Second, we
performed multivariate stepwise analysis to
identify the independently significant lipoprotein subclasses. Finally,
a wealth of prior research, both from MARS3 and other
studies,5 18 19 20 24 supports the above findings. Although
guided by prior evidence, this was an exploratory study with no control
for multiple hypothesis testing; these results should therefore be
substantiated in future research.
The results of this study linked with a growing body of evidence3 5 18 19 20 24 indicate the importance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and HDL3 as independent risk factors for the progression of CAD. Additionally, these data indicate that more specific information concerning the pathogenesis of coronary artery lesion progression can be obtained from the study of specific apo B-containing lipoproteins.
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Selected Abbreviations and Acronyms |
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Acknowledgments |
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This study was supported in part by US Public Health Service grants NIH NHLBI-RO1-HL-49885, NIH NHLBI Program Project grant HL-18574, Merck Research Laboratories, and a grant from the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board and administered in cooperation with the National Dairy Council. This work was partially conducted at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory through the US Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC03-76SF00098.
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Footnotes |
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Reprint requests to Howard N. Hodis, MD, Atherosclerosis Research Unit, Division of Cardiology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, 2250 Alcazar St, CSC 132, Los Angeles, CA 90033.
Received August 17, 1995; accepted January 3, 1996.
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