Impact of estimated HDL particle size via the ratio of HDL-C and apoprotein A-I on short-term prognosis of diabetic patients with stable coronary artery disease

Background Revascularization and statin therapy are routinely used in the management of stable coronary artery disease. However, it is unclear whether the estimated high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particle size (eHDL-S), the ratio of HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) to apoprotein A-I (apoA-I), is associated with the clinical outcomes of diabetic patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods We performed a prospective cohort study of 328 patients diagnosed with stable CAD by coronary angiography. Patients were followed up for a mean duration of 12 months. The patients were divided into three groups by the tertiles of eHDL-S: low eHDL-S (n = 118); intermediate eHDL-S (0.71–0.79, n = 111); and high eHDL-S (> 0.79, n = 99). The associations between the baseline eHDL-S and short-term outcomes were evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional regression. Results The low eHDL-S group had higher triglyceride, hemoglobin A1c, uric acid, and leukocyte count than the other groups. During the follow-up period, 47/328 patients experienced a pre-specified outcome. According to the Kaplan–Meier analysis, the incidence of pre-specified outcomes was lower in the high eHDL-S group (P = 0.04). However, eHDL-S was not independently associated with adverse outcomes in Cox proportional hazards regression (hazard ratio (HR): 0.23, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.01–11.24, P = 0.493). Conclusion Although the eHDL-S was associated with inflammatory biomarkers, it was not independently associated with the short-term prognosis of diabetic patients with stable CAD in the era of revascularization and potent statin therapy.