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Small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles have been correlated with increased coronary disease rates in some cross-sectional studies, but whether they can be used to predict risk remains unproven. Two nested case- control studies examined the role of LDL particle size on cardiac risk.
In the first, researchers determined LDL particle diameters on plasma samples that had been stored for 5 to 15 years. The samples were taken from 124 pairs of men and women who were enrolled in a larger, long-term epidemiologic study. In each pair, one person had developed coronary artery disease and the other had not. LDL size was significantly smaller in those who developed subsequent CAD.
In the second study, blood samples were obtained at baseline…