The Study
Triglyceride levels predict high-risk coronary artery plaque progression in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes and normal LDL cholesterol
This study watched a group of people over time to see what happened to their heart arteries. It found that people whose triglyceride levels went up also tended to have worse plaque buildup, but it can't say for sure that one caused the other.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at how fat levels in the blood affect heart plaque in people with type 2 diabetes who feel fine and have good cholesterol.
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 537 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, this matters because more plaque, especially the unstable kind, increases the risk of heart attacks even if cholesterol is under control.
- 2After one year, people whose triglycerides went up gained 50.2 mm³ of heart plaque, while those whose levels went down lost 28.5 mm³ of plaque.
- 3Higher triglycerides meant more dangerous types of plaque.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
European Heart Journal
Year
2023
Authors
L. Heinsen, G. Pararajasingam, T. Andersen, S. Auscher, H. Sheta, J. Lambrechtsen, K. Egstrup
Related Content
Claims (4)
If you have type 2 diabetes but no symptoms and your 'bad' cholesterol is under control, what happens to your heart artery plaque over a year might depend on your triglycerides: going up could mean more plaque, while going down could mean less.
Even if someone with type 2 diabetes has good cholesterol levels, high triglycerides might still mean their heart plaque is getting worse in dangerous ways.
If you have type 2 diabetes but feel fine and your 'bad' cholesterol is under control, having higher triglycerides might still be quietly making your heart artery plaques more dangerous over time.
If someone with type 2 diabetes has stable 'bad' cholesterol but their triglycerides go up over a year, they’re more likely to develop dangerous plaque buildup in their heart arteries—even if everything else looks okay.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.