A low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level is an identified risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. However, results on the association between HDL-C levels and adverse outcomes in diabetic status still remain limited and controversial. Herein, we evaluated the association between HDL-C levels and adverse outcomes among acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with diabetes mellitus. The cohort comprised 3824 AIS patients with diabetes mellitus (62.7 ± 10.5 years; 34.2% women) from the Third China National Stroke Registry (n = 15,166). Patients were classified into five groups by quintiles of HDL-C. The outcomes included recurrent stroke and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) within 1 year. The relationship between HDL-C levels and the risk of adverse outcomes was analyzed by Cox proportional hazards models. Patients in the lowest quintile of HDL-C had a higher risk of recurrent stroke (hazard ratio (HR) 1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12-2.25) and MACEs (HR 1.53, 95% CI, 1.09-2.15) during 1-year follow-up compared with those in the highest quintile of HDL-C. There were linear associations between HDL-C levels and the risks of both recurrent stroke and MACEs. Low HDL-C levels were associated with higher risks of recurrent stroke and MACEs within 1 year in AIS patients with diabetes mellitus.
Keywords: acute ischemic stroke; diabetes mellitus; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; lipids; major adverse cardiovascular event; prospective study; recurrent stroke.