Mohsen Khosravi
1 
, Farhad Sheikhnia
2,3, Mohammad Reza Pashaei
4, Maryam Karimi-Dehkordi
5, Shahin Alizadeh-Fanalou
3* 1 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2 Student Research Committee, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
3 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
4 Patient Safety Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
5 Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and atherosclerosis are major causes of mortality worldwide. Early and accurate diagnosis of vascular thickening by predictive markers can help reduce the death rate of these diseases. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, which are rich in cholesterol, are regarded as key biomarkers for CVD and atherosclerosis. Numerous studies have demonstrated that pattern B (small dense LDL, sdLDL) is more atherogenic than LDL and can serve as a superior quantitative marker for CVD than LDL. Furthermore, several studies have indicated that carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) is a reliable marker for the early detection of CVD and atherosclerosis in various populations. This review examines the relationship between sdLDL concentration and cIMT. It is concluded that sdLDL concentration has a positive correlation with cIMT, and their combined use can facilitate a more precise assessment of the diseases, especially atherosclerosis.