OBJECTIVETo compare the value of apolipoprotein B (apoB) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in assessing the risk of coronary heart disease in patients with inconsistent apoB and LDL-C levels.

METHODSIn a total of 603 patients undergoing coronary angiography, apoB and LDL-C levels were categorized into high and low levels relative to the median levels of apoB and LDL-C, based on which the patients were divided into 4 groups with low apoB/low LDL-C, low apoB/high LDL-C, high apoB/low LDL-C, or high apoB/high LDL-C. According to the results of coronary angiography, we evaluated the number of coronary artery branches with lesions and the severity of coronary artery stenosis in the 4 groups to assess the correlation of apoB and LDL-C with cardiovascular risks.

RESULTSWe found significant differences in the number of coronary artery branches with lesions and the severity of coronary artery stenosis among the 4 groups (P<0.05). The number of coronary artery branches involved and the severity of stenosis differed significantly between patients with consistently high and low apoB/LDL-C levels (P<0.005). Compared with those with low apoB/low LDL-C levels, the patients with high apoB/low LDL-C levels showed a significantly greater number of coronary artery branches with lesions (P=0.017) and more severe stenosis (P=0.034), but such differences were not found in patients with low apoB/high LDL-C levels. Pearson correlation analysis identified LDL-C and apoB as the risk factors for cardiovascular disease with areas under the ROC curve of 0.579 (P=0.014) and 0.589 (P=0.006), respectively.

CONCLUSIONSIn patients with inconsistent levels of apoB and LDL-C, apoB and LDL-C levels are both risk factors of coronary heart disease in close relation with the disease severity. LDL-C and apoB are comparable for their important values in predicting the risk of coronary heart disease.