Study finds U-shaped association between LDL-C and mortality risk in acute ischemic stroke patients

The general perception supports the mantra of “lower is better” for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in cardiovascular disease. However, during the acute stage of ischemic stroke, it is unclear how to interpret different LDL-C levels accurately. The evidence on clinical implication of LDL-C levels was mainly derived from long-term follow-up studies. The pathophysiological features of patients under the acute stage of ischemic stroke are different from the chronic stage. Concerns exist over whether low LDL-C levels may lead to adverse outcomes, such as increased mortality risk due to infection. The crosstalk between LDL-C and infection is also garnering increasing amounts of interest.