Lipoprotein status among urban populations in Bangladesh

Objective: Serum lipoprotein is the most important predictor for microvascular diseases, and may be influenced by rapid urbanization. Currently available data are limited, particularly regarding age-specific lipoprotein status in urban Bangladeshi populations. Methods: Blood lipoprotein levels of 51,353 male and female individuals primarily residing in urban Bangladesh were analyzed. De-identified data (collected between January 2005 and December 2011) were extracted from the Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory Data Archive of International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b). For analyses, six age categories were created: (i) <20 years, n = 481; (ii) 20-29 years, n = 1602; (iii) 30-39 years, n = 7272; (iv) 40-49 years, n = 13,582; (v) 50-59 years, n = 15,890; and (vi) 60 years and more, n = 12,526. Results: Mean serum levels of TC, LDL, TG, LDL:HDL and TC:HDL were significantly higher among adults 30-39 years old compared to other age groups, regardless of sex. The proportion of high TC and LDL from 2005 to 2011 among individuals aged 30-39 years old varied widely (p < 0.01 for trend and all pairwise tests). Conclusion: 30-39 years old individuals had higher concentration of lipoprotein, which increases microvascular disease risk. Further population-based studies are needed to validate our observations in rural areas of Bangladesh.