Low LDL-C Linked to Hemorrhagic Stroke

A prospective Chinese cohort study suggested a significant association between lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and higher risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) when LDL-C was <70 mg/dL. The study included 96,043 participants (mean age 51.3 years) who were free of stroke, myocardial infarction, and cancer at baseline (2006). There were 753 incident ICH cases identified during 9 years of follow-up. The ICH risk was similar among participants with LDL-C of 70 to 99 mg/dL and those with LDL-C ≥100 mg/dL. In contrast, participants with LDL-C <70 mg/dL had a significantly higher risk of developing ICH than those with LDL-C of 70 to 99 mg/dL; adjusted hazard ratios were 1.65 for LDL-C of 50 to 69 mg/dL and 2.69 for LDL-C <50 mg/dL. The findings are consistent with previous studies and suggest that very low baseline LDL-C levels are a marker for ICH risk. Source: https://n.neurology.org/