Method for identifying at risk cardiovascular disease patients

Abstract

The invention provides a method for identifying patients with normal NCEP lipid levels who are in need of treatment for cardiovascular disease comprising measuring one or more LDL or HDL particle subclass levels and identifying abnormal LDL or HDL subclass levels. LDL III a+b and HDL 2b are preferred subclasses.

1 . A method for identifying patients with normal NCEP lipid levels who are in need of treatment for cardiovascular disease comprising measuring one or more LDL or HDL particle subclass levels and identifying abnormal LDL or HDL subclass levels.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the subclass is LDL III a+b.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the abnormal level of LDLIII a+b is a level above 15% of the LDL particles.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the subclass is HDL 2b.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the abnormal level of HDL 2b is a level below 20% of the HDL particles.  
     
     
         6 . A method for identifying a human subject in need of cardiovascular disease treatment comprising identifying subjects having LDL III a+b levels of about 15% or more of the LDL particles.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein HDL 2b is also measured.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the human subject has an LDLC<130 mg/dl.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the human subject has an LDLC<130 mg/dl.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the human subject has HDL 2b<20% of HDL particles.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the LDL values are measured by gradient gel electrophoresis.  
     
     
         12 . A method for identifying cardiovascular patients with LDL levels below the levels indicated by NCEP for initiation of therapeutic lifestyle changes or to initiate drug therapy comprising measure the portion of small LDL particles to total LDL particles in the patient's blood serum.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the LDL and HDL subclass are determined by linear gel electrophoresis, gradient gel electrophoresis, ultracentrifuge, or ion mobility analysis.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the LDL and HDL subclass are measured by gradient gel electrophoresis.