Which Lipid Parameters Are Needed for CVD Risk Assessments?

Most calculators of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk include measures of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, or their combination in risk prediction models. Debate continues, however, about whether other lipid parameters can improve prediction of CVD and about the usefulness of nonfasting measurements. To clarify these issues, investigators analyzed data on nonfasting lipid measurements (total cholesterol, HDL, non-HDL, direct and calculated LDL, apolipoprotein [Apo] A1, and ApoB) from 346,686 UK Biobank participants who were not taking statins and were without baseline CVD and from 68,649 participants taking a statin with or without baseline CVD.

During a median of 9 years, an incident CVD event was reported in 6216 participants not taking…