For more than five years, the research team developed a way to detect dysfunctional HDL, then tested the blood of 627 Cleveland Clinic cardiology patients who had varying levels of total HDL, from high to low. Higher levels of good cholesterol have long been thought to correlate with better heart health.
“These are great discoveries,” said Jake Orville, CEO of Cleveland HeartLab (CHL), which has licensed this test exclusively from the Cleveland Clinic. “There are many great discoveries especially in heart disease. What's important is bringing these tests to market so they can be applied to patient care and make a real impact."
Recent studies show that the major protein found in HDL called apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) is found in an oxidized form in diseased arteries, explains Dr. Hazen.
In earlier research, the team found that an enzyme in white blood cells, known as myeloperoxidase, or MPO, is the main culprit in turning HDL bad. That finding led to a blood test to detect MPO, which is also available through CHL.
As I reported recently, a 2013 study of more than 95,000 patients found that having elevated levels of MPO is the most predictive marker of heart attack risk in the near future.