[Distribution of blood lipids in a representative sample of the adult population of Catalonia. Research Group on Assessment of the Nutritional Status of the Catalonian Population: Biochemical Assessment].
BACKGROUND: The leading cause of mortality in Spain are cardiovascular diseases. Their prevention largely depends on the control of hypercholesterolemia. The aim of this study is to describe the serum concentration of total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDLc), LDL-cholesterol (LDLc) and triglycerides in the population of Catalonia (Spain). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We obtained a representative sample of the catalan population 18-75 years-old in 1993. The concentrations of HDLc was analyzed after precipitation, the concentration of TC and triglycerides was obtained by enzimatic methods, and the concentration of LDLc was calculated using the Friedewald formula. RESULTS: We obtained a sample of 487 women and 393 men (participation rate: 38%). The mean concentrations of TC, LDLc, HDLc and triglycerides was, respectively, of 203.9 mg/dl (SD = 39.7 mg/dl) (5.24 mmol/l, SD = 1.02 mmol/l), 127.5 mg/dl (SD = 35.9 mg/dl) (3.28 mmol/l, SD = 0.92 mmol/l), 55.8 mg/dl (SD = 14.0 mg/dl) (1.45 mmol/l, SD = 0.36 mmol/l) and 103.9 mg/dl (SD = 75.4 mg/dl) (1.15 mmol/l, SD = 0.84 mmol/l). Nineteen percent of the sample had a concentration of TC > 240 mg/dl (6.42 mmol/l), 3.0% a concentration of HDLc < 35 mg/dl (0.91 mmol/l), 17.2% a concentration of LDL > 160 mg/dl (4.11 mmol/l) and 7.4% a concentration of triglycerides > 7.4 mg/dl (2.22 mmol/l). The concentrations of LDLc and triglycerides and the atherogenic index (TC/HDLc) were higher in men than in women and they increased with age. CONCLUSIONS: The cholesterol levels could be considered lower in Catalonia, Spain, than in other developed countries, and there is a tendency to decrease accordingly to the decrease in the cardiovascular mortality rates. However, the lipid profile in men older than 35 years and in women older than 50 years is still a cause of concern.