The Study
Non-HDL and LDL cholesterol, but not calculated remnant cholesterol, are associated with subclinical atherosclerosis.
This study shows a link between higher 'bad' cholesterol levels (like LDL and non-HDL) and early signs of artery damage, but it doesn’t prove one causes the other. It’s like noticing two things happen together, but not knowing which one comes first or if something else is involved.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at different types of cholesterol in healthy people to see which ones start building up in artery walls before symptoms appear.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 535 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, this helps identify which cholesterol types matter most for early heart disease risk.
- 2Higher LDL and non-HDL cholesterol linked to thicker artery walls and more plaques.
- 3Remnant cholesterol didn't add extra risk once LDL was accounted for.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of clinical lipidology
Year
2025
Authors
M. Mickelsson, P. Liv, Kristina Stefansson, K. Ekblom, A. Själander, E. Nyman, Christer Grönlund, Ulf Näslund, J. Hultdin
Related Content
Claims (3)
Even if you feel fine, your arteries might start building up plaque when your 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) hits around 50 to 60 mg/dL, and the more LDL you have, the more plaque builds up — steadily and predictably.
If healthy adults have higher 'bad' cholesterol levels, they’re more likely to show early signs of artery hardening, like thicker artery walls or plaque buildup in the neck arteries.
In healthy adults, leftover cholesterol in the blood doesn’t seem to add extra heart disease risk once you already know someone’s LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol level.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.