HDL Phosphatidyl Choline and Risk-Factors of Coronary Heart Disease

Summary: As part of our epidemiological study of employees in Westphalia, the concentration of HDL phos-phatidyl choline was measured in 1546 men and 778 women. The results were analysed in relation to the corresponding HDL cholesterol values, äs well äs the various risk factors foi1 coronary heart disease. HDL phosphatidyl eholine values were fouhd to be age independent, higher in women than in men (p < 0.001), and lognormally distributed in both sexes (men: mean 1.162 mmol/1, median 1.13 mmol/1, minimum 0.60 mmol/1, maximum 2.46 mmol/1; women: mean 1.370 mmol/1, median 1.34 mmol/1, minimum 0.55 mmol/1, maximum 2.46 mmol/1). A positive correlation (p < 0.001) was found in both sexes between HDL phosphatidyl choline and HDL cholesterol (men: r = 0.588; women: r = 0.605). A negative correlation was found in both sexes between HDL phosphatidyl choline values and body weight (men: r =-0.102 (p < 0.001) women: r = —0.129 (p < 0.001)); and in men, büt not in women, there was a negative correlation between HDL phosphatidyl choline values and triglycerides (men: r =-0.190 (p < 0.001) women: r =--0,042). A negative correlation between HDL phosphatidyl choline and cigarette smok-ing was found only in female smokers (r = —0.121 (p < 0.05)). The correlation coefficients between HDL cholesterol and triglycerides äs well äs HDL cholesterol and relative body weight in both sexes were clearly higher than the corresponding correlation coefficient of HDL phosphatidyl choline