Serum cholesterol efflux capacity and mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Introduction Serum cholesterol efflux capacity, a biomarker of the early step of the reverse cholesterol transport, has been associated with atherosclerosis independently of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level. Objective To evaluate the prognostic impact of serum cholesterol efflux capacity on mortality in a large cohort of patients hospitalized for an acute myocardial infarction (MI). Method Serum cholesterol efflux capacity was measured in 1,609 consecutive patients admitted with an acute MI. Results In a fully adjusted model that included age, sex, traditional cardiovascular risk factors including lipid levels, and prognostic factors of MI, serum cholesterol efflux capacity was a strong predictor of survival (adjusted hazard ratio for mortality per 1-SD increase in serum cholesterol efflux capacity, 0.79; 95% confidence interval: 0.66 to 0.95; P = 0.0132). Patients displaying an elevated serum cholesterol efflux capacity had a marked lower rate of mortality at 6 years (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.54 [0.32 to 0.89]; P = 0.0165) as compared with patients with reduced serum cholesterol efflux capacity. Conclusion Serum cholesterol efflux capacity, an integrative marker of reverse cholesterol transport pathway and efficacy, was inversely associated with all-cause mortality in MI patients independently of HDL cholesterol level and other risk factors.