Racial and Ethnic Differences in Hypertriglyceridemia and Risk for Coronary Heart Disease

Hispanic patients hospitalized in the US had the highest rate of hypertriglyceridemia (HTG), and White patients with HTG had a greater risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) than other ethnicities, according to research presented at the National Lipid Association Scientific Sessions, from June 2nd through 5th, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

While HTG is a known risk factor for CHD, research has been limited regarding racial and ethnic differences in HTG and its relationship with CHD. Researchers sought to investigate the association of race and ethnicity in HTG and related clinical outcomes.

Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2016 through 2018, researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of 90,856,281 adults. Patients self-identified as White (69.7%), Hispanic (14.5%), Black (8.8%), Asian (3.4%), and Native American (0.4%). Of total study participants, 350,250 had HTG (Hispanic, 0.5%; Asian, 0.48%; Native American, 0.41%; White, 0.4%; Black, 0.22%). Among patients with HTG, White patients had the lowest occurrence of diabetes (47.4%) and the highest occurrence of hypertension (50.6%), and Asian patients had the lowest proportion of obesity (19.5%).

In comparison to the White population, after adjusting for obesity, sex, age, and comorbidities, Hispanic and Asian populations had an elevated risk for HTG (odds ratio [OR], 1.14 and 1.33, respectively; all P <.001). After adjusting for sex, age, and comorbidities but not for obesity, Hispanic, Asian, and Black populations had a lower risk for CHD (OR, 0.73, 0.75, and 0.69, respectively; all P <.001). A greater risk for stroke was also noted in Black and Asian populations. No statistical difference among ethnicities was noted for in-hospital CHD mortality.

“The incidence of HTG was the highest in Hispanic [patients] and the lowest in Black [patients],” the study authors wrote. “Also, [the] Hispanic and Asian population[s] were associated with elevated risk [for] HTG. White patients with HTG were at higher risk [for] CHD than other ethnicities.”

Reference

Park K, Konindala N, Aung P, Himed K. Racial difference in hypertriglyceridemia and its impact on coronary heart diseases. Presented at: National Lipid Association Scientific Sessions; June 2-5, 2022; Scottsdale, AZ. Poster 66.