Table 2 Composition (weight %) and distribution (%) of HDL derived from the low-HDL-C and control subjects

HDL₂ particle mass (mg/dl)

68 (58 - 90)

153 (106 - 213)

< 0.0001

HDL₂ CE/TG ratio

3.17 (2.64 - 4.22)

6.00 (4.48 - 7.34)

< 0.0001

HDL₂ TG (% of HDL₂)

5.6 (4.2 - 6.6)

3.4 (2.8 - 4.5)

< 0.0001

HDL₂ CE (% of HDL₂)

18.9 (16.2 - 20.6)

20.8 (19.2 - 22.3)

0.002

HDL₂ free cholesterol (% of HDL₂)

4.7 (4.2 - 6.0)

5.0 (4.6 - 5.6)

0.573

HDL₂ phospholipids (% of HDL₂)

24.0 (22.0 - 26.0)

27.9 (24.8 - 29.5)

0.001

HDL₂ protein (% of HDL₂)

46.3 (43.1 - 49.4)

42.5 (39.9 - 46.2)

0.0007

HDL₃ particle mass (mg/dl)

209 (191 -226)

242 (214 - 266)

0.0001

HDL₃ CE/TG ratio

4.64 (3.48 - 5.96)

7.07 (5.61 - 8.80)

< 0.0001

HDL₃ TG (% of HDL₃)

3.7 (3.0 - 4.3)

2.5 (2.1 - 3.1)

< 0.0001

HDL₃ CE (% of HDL₃)

16.8 (14.9 - 18.8)

17.5 (16.5 - 19.1)

0.039

HDL₃ free cholesterol (% of HDL₃)

2.3 (2.0 - 2.5)

2.4 (2.2 - 2.6)

0.848

HDL₃ phospholipids (% of HDL₃)

22.2 (20.2 - 23.3)

22.3 (21.0 - 23.2)

0.815

HDL₃ protein (% of HDL₃)

54.9 (51.6 - 58.1)

55.6 (51.7 - 57.7)

0.984

HDL_2b (%)

15.1 ± 5.0

30.1 ± 10.4

< 0.0001

HDL_2a (%)

27.2 ± 5.2

26.3 ± 7.0

0.763

HDL_3a (%)

34.9 ± 4.4

27.7 ± 6.4

< 0.0001

HDL_3b (%)

18.5 ± 5.4

10.9 ± 4.5

< 0.0001

HDL_3c (%)

5.3 ± 2.7

4.1 ± 3.0

0.422

HDL mean particle size (nm)

8.98 ± 0.21

9.44 ± 0.35

< 0.0001