This report identified the serum triglyceride (TG) concentrations in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) and able-bodied (AB) individuals that the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) equaled 40 mg/dl, a concentration below which is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease.
Retrospective analysis was performed on 578 participants: 223 with SCI at or proximal to the 4 th thoracic vertebrae (↑T4), 178 with SCI at or distal to the 5 th thoracic vertebrae (↓T5), and 177 AB. Different statistical modeling approaches identified the intersecting serum TG concentration with a serum HDL-C concentration equal to 40 mg/dl. Participants were dichotomized into subgroups by TG concentration exceeding (Supra) or falling below (Sub) the intersecting value and the TG/HDL-C ratios were compared.
Linear regression analysis revealed that the serum TG concentration that intersects with serum HDL-C concentration at 40 mg/dl was 121 mg/dl in SCI ↑T4 and 137 mg/dl in SCI ↓T5 group. A receiver operating characteristic curve identified the optimal TG concentration as 115 mg/dl in SCI ↑T4 and 137 mg/dl in SCI ↓T5 group with the latter concentration being similar to the AB group (e.g., 137 mg/dl). The TG/HDL-C ratios in the respective ↑T4, ↓T5, and AB Supra and Sub groups were similar within each group.