Lipoprotein ratios: Physiological significance and clinical usefulness in cardiovascular prevention

Figures & data

Table 1 Risk categories and target levels for total cholesterol/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C and apoB/apoA-I ratios, in primary and secondary prevention, stratified by gender^6,7,14

Ratio	Primary prevention				Secondary prevention*
	Risk level		Target		Risk level		Target
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
TC/HDL-C	>5.0	>4.5	<4.5	<4.0	>4.0	>3.5	<3.5	<3.0
LDL-C/HDL-C	>3.5	>3.0	<3.0	<2.5	>3.0	>2.5	<2.5	<2.0
ApoB/ApoA-I	>1.0	>0.9	<0.9	<0.8	>0.8	>0.7	<0.7	<0.6

* Note: Or equivalent risk situation.

Abbreviations: Apo, apolipoprotein; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; TC, total cholesterol.

Figure 1 Atherogenic and anti-atherogenic lipoproteins. This diagram shows that there is one single apolipoprotein B (apoB) molecule in each large, buoyant or small, dense particle of very-low-density (VLDL), intermediate-density (IDL), and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). Therefore, apoB represents the total number of potentially atherogenic particles. Apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) is the principal protein component in high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and is responsible for starting reverse cholesterol transport. The balance between apoB and apoA-I is indicative of cardiovascular risk: the greater the ratio, the greater the risk.

Abbreviations: TG, triglycerides; C, cholesterol; + +, increased risk; − −, reduced risk.

Figure 2 Impact of the apoB/apoA-I ratio on atherogenic balance.

Abbreviation: Apo, apolipoproteins.

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