Effects of blood lipid stability on progression of carotid atherosclerosis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of blood lipid stability on progression of carotid atherosclerosis. METHODS: A total of 416 patients who had physical examination in our hospital annually from January 2010 to December 2015 were selected and divided into a progression group (n=216) and a non-progression group (n=200) according to the intima-media thickness measured by carotid ultrasound. The levels of lipid-related parameters within five years were retrospectively analyzed to calculate the smoothness index (SI = x±/s). RESULTS: The cross-sectional TG, HDL-C, ApoAI, ApoB, ApoE and Lpa levels were similar in the two groups (p>0.05). The non-progression group had significantly higher TC ((4.15±0.82 vs. 4.50±1.04) mmol/L) and LDL-C ((2.53±0.76 vs. 2.99±1.03) mmol/L) levels than those of the progression group (p<0.05). The progression group had significantly lower TC SI (5.29±1.28 vs. 5.65±1.76), TG SI (2.13±0.71 vs. 2.79±0.82), LDL-C SI (3.66±1.17 vs. 4.36±1.58), ApoB SI (3.37±0.88 vs. 3.62±0.95) and Lpa SI (1.53±0.49 vs. 1.62±0.43) than those of the non-progression group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with cross-sectional results, SI was better correlated with the progression of atherosclerosis. The progression group had lower SI values.