Low HDL cholesterol is associated with the risk of stroke in elderly diabetic individuals: changes in the risk for atherosclerotic diseases at various ages.

<bold>Objective: </bold>To clarify the relationship between lipid levels and ischemic heart disease (IHD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in diabetic individuals.<bold>Research Design and Methods: </bold>The Japan Cholesterol and Diabetes Mellitus Study is a prospective cohort study of 4,014 type 2 diabetic patients (1,936 women; mean +/- SD age 67.4 +/- 9.5 years). Lipid and glucose levels and other factors were investigated in relation to occurrence of IHD or CVD.<bold>Results: </bold>IHD and CVD occurred in 1.59 and 1.43% of participants, respectively, over a 2-year period. The relation of lower HDL or higher LDL cholesterol to occurrence of IHD in subjects <65 years old was significant. Lower HDL cholesterol was also significantly related to CVD in subjects >or=65 years old and especially in those >75 years old (n = 1,016; odds ratio 0.511 [95% CI 0.239-0.918]; P < 0.05). Stepwise multiple regression analysis with onset of CVD as a dependent variable showed the same result.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Lower HDL cholesterol is an important risk factor for not only IHD but also CVD, especially in diabetic elderly individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]