Validity of a novel method for estimation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in diabetic patients

Aim: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (ldl-c) is routinely estimated using the friedewald equation [ldl-c(f)]. a novel method for ldl-c [ldl-c(m)] estimation recently proposed by martin et al. was reported to be more accurate than the friedewald formula in subjects in the united states. the validity of ldl-c(m) in different races and patients with diabetes mellitus (dm) has not been elucidated. the purpose of this study was to validate the ldl-c(m) estimates in japanese population with type 2 dm by comparing with ldl-c(f) and directly measured ldl-c [ldl-c(d)]. methods: both ldl-c(m) and ldl-c(f) levels were compared against ldl-c(d) measured by selective solubilization method in 1,828 japanese patients with type 2 dm. results: on linear regression analysis,ldl-c(m) showed a stronger correlation than that shown by ldl-c(f) (r=0.979 vs. r=0.953,respectively) with ldl-c(d). we further analyzed the effect of serum triglyceride (tg) concentrations on the accuracy of ldl-c(f) and ldl-c(m). although ldl-c levels showed a positive correlation with tg levels,the ldl-c(f) levels tended to show a greater divergence from ldl-c(d) levels than that shown by ldl-c(m) with changes in tg levels. conclusion: we for the first time demonstrated a more useful measurement of ldl-c levels estimated by martin’s method than that estimated by the friedewald equation in japanese patients with dm. © 2016 japan atherosclerosis society.