ReviewClinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society2017
HDL cholesterol: reappraisal of its clinical relevance.
Review in Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 122 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
122 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 287 citations in OpenAlex.
- The role of variables of aquatic training performed in the upright position in improving the lipid profile of adults: systematic review with meta-analysis and meta regression.Scientific reports · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- A dose-response meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality.Journal of endocrinological investigation · 2022Pooled it
- The rationale for the treatment of long-Covid symptoms - A cardiologist's view.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2022Pooled it
- Lipid profile and risk of ovarian tumours: a meta-analysis.BMC cancer · 2020Pooled it
- Trial
- Consuming grass finished lamb improves blood plasma ω-3 fatty acid response among healthy consumers.European journal of nutrition · 2025Trial
- Associations of lipoprotein particle profile and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time in schoolchildren: a prospective cohort study.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2022Trial
- Daily Oral Administration of the Novel Androgen 11β-MNTDC Markedly Suppresses Serum Gonadotropins in Healthy Men.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2020Trial
- The HDL lipidome is widely remodeled by fast food versus Mediterranean diet in 4 days.Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society · 2019Trial
- Review
- High Density Lipoprotein Assessment Revisited: A Review of Foundational Understanding and Recent Developments in Function, Particle Size, and Cardiometabolic Impact.Current atherosclerosis reports · 2026Review
- Association of HDL-C Levels with Stroke and All-cause Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study from the CHARLS.Brain and behavior · 2026Article
- Capsaicin Improves Lipid Metabolism Disorders Caused by LPS-Induced Immune Stress in Weaned Piglets.Veterinary sciences · 2026Article
- A practical guide to the management of dyslipidaemia.Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · 2026Review
- Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of SGLT-2 Inhibitors in Managing Metabolic Syndrome: A Narrative Review.Current drug research reviews · 2026Review
- Cross-sectional analysis of adult fatty liver prevalence in Wenshan, China: an epidemiologic study using ultrasound and laboratory assessments.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2026Article
- Usefulness of plasma and apolipoprotein B-depleted serum samples in paraoxonase 1 assessment.Biochemistry and biophysics reports · 2025Article
- Monocyte-to-HDL ratio (MHR) as a novel biomarker: reference ranges and associations with inflammatory diseases and disease-specific mortality.Lipids in health and disease · 2025Article
- Review
62 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 8 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWhile several lines of evidence prove that elevated concentrations of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) causally contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and its clinical consequences, high-density lipoproteins are still widely believed to exert atheroprotective effects. Hence, HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) is in general still considered as "good cholesterol". Recent research, however, suggests that this might not always be the case and that a fundamental reassessment of the clinical significance of HDL-C is warranted.
methodThis review article is based on a selective literature review.
resultsIn individuals without a history of cardiovascular events, low concentrations of HDL-C are inversely associated with the risk of future cardiovascular events. This relationship may, however, not apply to patients with metabolic disorders or manifest cardiovascular disease. The classical function of HDL is to mobilise cholesterol from extrahepatic tissues for delivery to the liver for excretion. These roles in cholesterol metabolism as well as many other biological functions of HDL particles are dependent on the number as well as protein and lipid composition of HDL particles. They are poorly reflected by the HDL-C concentration. HDL can even exert negative vascular effects, if its composition is pathologically altered. High serum HDL-C is therefore no longer regarded protective. In line with this, recent pharmacological approaches to raise HDL-C concentration have not been able to show reductions of cardiovascular outcomes.
conclusionIn contrast to LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-C correlates with cardiovascular risk only in healthy individuals. The calculation of the ratio of LDL-C to HDL-C is not useful for all patients. Low HDL-C should prompt examination of additional metabolic and inflammatory pathologies. An increase in HDL-C through lifestyle change (smoking cessation, physical exercise) has positive effects and is recommended. However, HDL-C is currently not a valid target for drug therapy.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.