Does age and gender correlate significantly with Dyslipidemia?.

Publication/Presentation Date

5-2012

Abstract

Objective: Observationally, at our institution, younger individuals paradoxically appeared to have disproportionately higher abnormal lipid profiles, thus we hypothesize that advancing age does not directly correlate with dyslipidemia and subsequent coronary heart disease risk. Methods: Data was obtained by retrospective review of 150 randomly selected admissions with the primary diagnosis of chest pain. Lack of lipid profile and chest pain as a secondary diagnosis was exclusion criteria. Data, obtained from the Internal Medicine residency patient lists at our institution from 2006 to 2008, was recorded and compared with ATP III Guidelines to classify risk factors and determine the degree of dyslipidemia. Selected demographic details (age, gender, etc.) were also obtained. Correlation of age and gender with dyslipidemia was examined by applying a binary logistic regression model. Results: Of the patients selected for review, 66% (99/150) fulfilled the selection criteria. The mean age of the cohort was 59 years (range 29-97) and 51% of the subjects were females. The quartiles were evenly distributed around the age ranges, with Q172. Based on the quartile split, prevalence of dyslipidemia in the four age groups was 73%, 67%, 71% and 53% respectively. Notably, 74% of men and 58% of women had dyslipidemia. Thus it appears that dyslipidemia may be better correlated with gender than age. A logistic regression model demonstrated a one-sided p-value of 0.095 for age and 0.035 for gender, with the usual significance threshold of 0.05. The odds ratios of 0.52 (gender) and 0.99 (age) indicate that women had a 48% reduced risk of dyslipidemia as compared to men, and that the risk goes down by 1% with each additional one year in age. Discussion: Dyslipidemia increases morbidity and mortality related to coronary heart disease (CHD). ATP III Guidelines and Framingham scores determine the risk of CHD and risk factors are presumed to be related to advanced age. Given our study, gender was a greater correlate with dyslipidemia, with men at a significantly higher risk. Interestingly, the eldest patients (age > 72) had the lowest prevalence of dyslipidemia. This may be indicative of better personal care or optimal pharmacologic treatment for these patients. Conclusion: Advanced age fails to demonstrate increased prevalence of dyslipidemia. Patient education and strict treatment regimens should be enforced early on to prevent adverse events in all patients with dyslipidemia.

Comments

Lipid Disorders, Abstract #500.

Disciplines

Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism | Internal Medicine

Department(s)

Department of Medicine, Department of Medicine Faculty

Document Type

Poster

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