Non-HDL Cholesterol

The sum of VLDL+LDL cholesterol is called non-HDL cholesterol. Non-HDL cholesterol is highly correlated with total apolipoprotein B (apo B); apolipoprotein B is the major apolipoprotein of all atherogenic lipoproteins. Serum total apo B also has been shown to have a strong predictive power for severity of coronary atherosclerosis and CHD events. Because of the high correlation between non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels, non-HDL cholesterol represents an acceptable surrogate marker for total apolipoprotein B in routine clinical practice When triglyceride levels are =200 mg/dL, VLDL cholesterol levels are distinctly raised, and LDL-cholesterol concentrations are less well correlated with VLDL and LDL (non-HDL) cholesterol levels; consequently, LDL cholesterol alone inadequately defines the risk associated with atherogenic lipoproteins. In the presence of high serum triglycerides, non-HDL cholesterol therefore will better represent the concentrations of all atherogenic lipoproteins than will LDL cholesterol alone.