REMNANT LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDE REFERENCE RANGES FROM THE FRAMINGHAM HEART-STUDY

Remnants of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins of both intestinal and live r origin are considered atherogenic, but they have been difficult to i solate and measure. An assay has been developed that allows the measur ement of remnant-like particle cholesterol (RLP-C) and triglyceride (R LP-TG). RLP-C and RLP-TG concentrations were measured in >3000 fasting plasma samples obtained from participants in exam cycle 4 of the Fram ingham Offspring Study and stored at -80 degrees C. After exclusions, comparisons were made for 2821 samples (1385 women, 1436 men; mean age , 52 years). For women, the mean RLP-C and RLP-TG values were 0.176 +/ - 0.058 mmol/L (6.8 +/- 2.3 mg/dL) and 0.204 +/- 0.159 mmol/L (18.1 +/ - 14.1 mg/dL), respectively; for men, the mean values were 0.208 +/- 0 .096 mmol/L (8.0 +/- 3.7 mg/dL) and 0.301 +/- 0.261 mmol/L (26.7 +/- 2 3.1 mg/dL), respectively. Women had significantly lower RLP-C and RLP- TG values (P <0.0001) than men; premenopausal women had significantly lower values than postmenopausal women (P <0.0001); and younger subjec ts (<50 years) had significantly lower values than older individuals ( P <0.0001). The 75th percentile values for RLP-C and RLP-TG were 0.186 mmol/L (7.2 mg/dL) and 0.225 mmol/L (19.9 mg/dL), respectively, for w omen, and 0.225 mmol/L (8.7 mg/dL) and 0.346 mmol/L (30.6 mg/dL) for m en. These data provide reference ranges for use in the evaluation of R LP-C and RLP-TG as potential indicators of risk for coronary heart dis ease.