Research Article: Association of monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio with non-calcified plaques in subclinical coronary atherosclerosis: a cross-sectional study in hypertensive patients
Abstract:
Hypertension is a major driver of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), many hypertensive patients harbor occult subclinical coronary atherosclerosis (SCA). The monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR), a novel biomarker integrating inflammation and lipid metabolism, has emerged as a potential risk indicator. However, its value in identifying coronary artery characteristics in asymptomatic hypertensive populations remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between MHR and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis characteristics in asymptomatic hypertensive patients.
We conducted a cross-sectional study enrolling 283 hypertensive patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) at Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital between January 2019 and September 2024. Patients were categorized into quartiles (Q1-Q4) based on MHR levels. CCTA was used to evaluate coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and plaque characteristics (non-calcified, calcified, mixed). Multivariable logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed.
There was a significant difference in the prevalence of non-calcified plaques across MHR quartiles ( P < 0.001). After fully adjusting for confounders including age, gender, smoking, BMI, TG, LDL-C, serum creatinine, statin use and diabetes, patients in the highest MHR quartile (Q4) had a 5.97-fold higher risk of having non-calcified plaques compared to those in Q1 (OR = 5.97, 95% CI: 2.63-14.1, P < 0.001; P for trend < 0.001). RCS analysis revealed a significant non-linear positive association between MHR and non-calcified plaque risk ( P for nonlinearity = 0.007), characterized by an initial increase, a subsequent transient decline, and a marked rise at higher MHR values. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for MHR in identifying non-calcified plaques was 0.700. Subgroup analyses revealed no significant interaction between MHR and age, sex, diabetes, smoking status, BMI category, or statin use ( P for interaction > 0.05).
Elevated MHR is independently and non-linearly associated with the presence of non-calcified plaques in hypertensive patients. Given that non-calcified plaques represent an active, lipid-driven inflammatory state, MHR may serve as a simple and cost-effective adjunctive biomarker to help identify individuals with a higher burden of such plaques in asymptomatic hypertensive patients. However, its role in clinical risk stratification requires validation in prospective studies.
Introduction:
Hypertension is a major driver of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), many hypertensive patients harbor occult subclinical coronary atherosclerosis (SCA). The monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR), a novel biomarker integrating inflammation and lipid metabolism, has emerged as a potential risk indicator. However, its value in identifying coronary artery characteristics in asymptomatic hypertensive populations remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between MHR…
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