Non-optimal Lipids Commonly Present in Young Adults and Coronary Calcium Later in Life: The Cardia (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) Study. Pletcher, MJ et al. Annals of Internal Medicine 2010;153:137-146.
This study reported that non-optimal levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol during young adulthood (ages 18 to 30 years) was independently associated with coronary atherosclerosis two decades later. This study was conducted to determine whether non-optimal lipid levels during young adulthood could cause atherosclerotic changes in middle age. The study evaluated 3,258 participants in the CARDIA study. LDL & HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and coronary calcium levels were quantified. 87 percent of the participants had non-optimal levels of LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, or triglycerides during young adulthood. Coronary calcium prevalence after 20 years was 8 percent in participants who maintained optimal LDL levels and 44 percent in participants with higher LDL levels. Both LDL and HDL cholesterol levels were independently associated with coronary calcium. The results of this study reinforce the importance of achieving optimal LDL cholesterol levels early in life as a means to reduce atherosclerosis as early as middle age.
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