Small dense low-density lipoprotein in primary biliary cholangitis: Independent association with metabolic syndrome

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study population, n (%)

Number of patients	n = 148
Demographic and anthropometric characteristics
Age (years)	64.15 ± 10.73 (33-88)
BMI	26.76 ± 4.47 (16.51-40.16)
Waist circumference (cm)	89.36 ± 11.27 (60-121)
Gender	Female n = 137 (92.60); Male n = 11 (7.40)
Cardiometabolic comorbidities
Coronary artery disease	4 (2.70)
Acute coronary syndrome	3 (2.00)
History of stroke	7 (4.70)
Peripheral artery disease	2 (1.40)
Treatment
Statin therapy	29 (19.60)
Fibrate therapy	34 (23.00)
UDCA therapy	148 (100.00)
Liver disease characteristics
Complete biochemical response	82 (55.40)
Advanced liver fibrosis F3/F4	32 (21.60)
Metabolic syndrome	58 (39.20)
MASLD	63 (42.60)
CAP (dB/m)	244.87 ± 58.07
TE (kPa)	8.92 ± 8.16
AST × ULN (%)	101.52 ± 60.85
ALT × ULN (%)	87.43 ± 65.42
GGT × ULN (%)	212.10 ± 372.79
ALP × ULN (%)	109.12 ± 84.10
Total bilirubin (µmol/L)	13.71 ± 7.75
Conjugated bilirubin (µmol/L)	3.20 ± 2.75
Metabolic and lipoprotein parameters
Glucose (mmol/L)	5.83 ± 1.87
C-peptide (ng/mL)	2.08 ± 1.2
HOMA-IR	6.37 ± 4.47
Total cholesterol (mmol/L)	5.32 ± 1.26
HDL-C (mmol/L)	1.67 ± 0.44
LDL-C (mmol/L)	3.27 ± 0.92
Triglycerides (mmol/L)	1.30 ± 0.89
Platelets × 109/L	245.29 ± 97.35
sdLDL (mmol/L)	0.09 ± 0.17
largeLDL (mmol/L)	1.29 ± 0.49
sdLDL/LargeLDL	0.08 ± 0.18
ApoB (mg/dL)	43.91 ± 16.87
Lp(a) (mg/dL)	10.75 ± 15.34

ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; ApoB: Apolipoprotein B; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; BMI: Body mass index; CAP: Controlled attenuation parameter; F3/F4: Advanced liver fibrosis stages 3 and 4; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transferase; HDL: High-density lipoprotein; HOMA-IR: Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; LDL: Low-density lipoprotein; Lp(a): Lipoprotein a; MASLD: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease; sdLDL: Small dense low-density lipoprotein; TE: Transient elastography; ULN: Upper limit of normal; UDCA: Ursodeoxycholic acid.