Serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in Chinese healthy subjects and patients with certain diseases.

Serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were determined, and values of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-C/TC (%), and the LDL-C/HDL-C (ratio) were calculated in 1101 healthy Chinese men and women, 77 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), 70 patients with cerebral vascular disease (CVD), 64 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), 40 bilaterally oophorectomized women and 95 women using oral contraceptives. Serum HDL-C levels seemed higher and LDL-C levels lower in the healthy Chinese population as compared with those previously reported from European and American whites. Serum HDL-C was significantly higher in fertile females than in males of comparable ages. We failed to demonstrate any sharp fall in HDL-C after the menopause or bilateral oophorectomy. Serum HDL-C levels were significantly lower in both CHD and CVD patients than in healthy subjects of comparable sex and age. Concomitant increases in serum TC, LDL-C and TG, however, were found in CHD patients but not in CVD patients. No abnormality in the mean serum HDL-C level was found in DM patients. However, those complicated with CHD had significantly lower HDL-C than those without CHD. A striking serum HDL-C lowering effect was found with some kinds of oral contraceptives.