Small dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-c) has been established to be highly associated with metabolic disorder.
Small dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-c), is a distinct LDL cholesterol subclass, which is associated with raised TG and decreased HDL-c levels in adiposity and diabetes, playing a distinct metabolic role in atherosclerosis.
The results of recent studies demonstrate that LDL fractions have different atherogenicity, with sdLDL being more atherogenic than larger LDL subfractions. sdLDL is characterized by the enhanced ability to penetrate the arterial wall that makes it a potent source of cholesterol for the development of atherosclerotic plaque. Importantly, longer circulation times of sdLDL result in multiple atherogenic modifications of sdLDL particles in plasma, further increasing its atherogenicity. Study of the sdLDL role in the development of atherosclerosis and CVD is hindered by significant variations in LDL fractionation results obtained by different methods.
Statins and other lipid-lowering drugs were reported to have beneficial effects on LDL profile correction, but more studies are necessary to draw clear guidelines for sdLDL lowering in CVD prevention and treatment. Although many questions regarding the efficacy of sdLDL reduction in CVD risk management remain open, there is accumulating evidence that sdLDL-C proportion is a significant marker for CVD prediction in many conditions associated with dyslipidemia.
References:
Fan, J., Liu, Y., Yin, S. et al. Small dense LDL cholesterol is associated with metabolic syndrome traits independently of obesity and inflammation. Nutr Metab (Lond) 16, 7 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-019-0334-y
Ivanova EA, Myasoedova VA, Melnichenko AA, Grechko AV, Orekhov AN. Small Dense Low-Density Lipoprotein as Biomarker for Atherosclerotic Diseases. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:1273042. doi: 10.1155/2017/1273042. Epub 2017 May 7. PMID: 28572872; PMCID: PMC5441126.
Hirano T, Ito Y, Koba S, Toyoda M, Ikejiri A, Saegusa H, Yamazaki J, Yoshino G. Clinical significance of small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels determined by the simple precipitation method. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2004 Mar;24(3):558-63. doi: 10.1161/01.ATV.0000117179.92263.08. Epub 2004 Jan 15. PMID: 14726414.
Understand and improve your laboratory results with our health dashboard.
Upload your lab reports and get interpretation today.
Our technology helps to understand, combine, track, organize, and act on your medical lab test results.
Small dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-c), is a distinct LDL cholesterol subclass, which is associated with raised TG and decreased HDL-c levels in adiposity and diabetes, playing a distinct metabolic role in atherosclerosis.
Having a high level of small dense LDL cholesterol could mean that a person has a higher risk of developing potentially life threatening conditions, such as heart disease.
Small dense LDL (sdLDL) is an extremely atherogenic LDL subtype that is associated with about 3-times greater risk for CVD than normal-size LDL particles. SdLDL-C levels are also independently associated with increased risk for Type-II diabetes. SdLDL-C is associated with elevated triglycerides and low HDL-C (mechanistically), obesity, metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, renal dysfunction, hepatic steatosis and dietary trans-fatty acids.
The level of sdLDL-C is not proportional to the level of total LDL-C. The sdLDL more readily penetrate the arterial endothelial wall and are more prone to oxidation. Elevated sdLDL-C may be lowered with lifestyle modifications and niacin that lower TG levels, as well appropriate control of blood glucose.
Interpret Your Lab Results
Upload your lab report and we’ll interpret and provide you with recomendations today.
Get Started
Get Started With Our Personal Plan
Advanced Plan
Unlimited Plan
Are You a Health Professional?
Get started with our professional plan
Welcome to Healthmatters Pro.
Save time on interpreting lab results with the largest database of biomarkers online. In-depth research on any test at your fingertips, all stored and tracked in one place. Learn more
Pro Plan
for health professionals
$45 per month
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.
Apo B : Apo A-1, Atherogenic index, Estimated CHD Risk, Glycomark (1 ,5-Anhydroglucitol), HDL-C, HDL-C/TG, hsCRP, IDL Cholesterol, LDL-C, LDL/HDL Cholesterol Ratio, Leptin : Adiponectin ratio, Non-HDL Cholesterol, Oxidized LDL : LDL-C, OxLDL (Oxidized LDL), PLAC, PLAC (LP-PLA2 Activity), Small dense LDL Cholesterol, Small dense LDL-C : LDL-C, Total Cholesterol, Total Cholesterol/HDL Ratio, Triglycerides, VLDL-C/TG
