Lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in urban Africans presenting with communicable versus non-communicable forms of heart disease: the ‘Heart of Soweto’ hospital registry study

Objectives: To investigate if urban Africans displayed lower levels of atheroprotective high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) when presenting with communicable versus non-communicable forms of heart disease (HD) as both acute infection and chronic inflammation reduce HDLC levels. Design: Hospital registry of 5328 de novo cases of HD over a 3-year period.