Patterns and characteristics of dyslipidemia subtypes among community-dwelling elderly in Eastern China: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Identifying and understanding different dyslipidemia patterns is crucial for maintaining the cardiovascular health of older adults. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the dyslipidemia profiles of the elderly population from communities in an Eastern Chinese province, focusing on dyslipidemia subtypes and patterns, and exploring the associated demographic and health-related factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in communities in an Eastern Chinese province. Dyslipidemia patterns were defined using 4-digit binary codes for abnormal TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C. Correspondence analysis explored subtype-pattern associations to reveal common combinations. Binary and multinomial logistic regressions, with Bonferroni correction, examined relationships between factors and dyslipidemia patterns.

Results: Among 44,304 participants (31.5% dyslipidemia), correspondence analysis delineated patterns across Hyper_TC, Hyper_TG, Hyper_LDL, and Hypo_HDL subtypes, including Hyper_TC/LDL co-occurrence and Hyper_TG/Hypo_HDL independence, varying by gender. Multifactorial analyses revealed gender-based effects of age, education, income, and lifestyle, but consistent risks from comorbidities and urban-rural factors. Dyslipidemia subtype patterns and risk factor associations are thus gender- and pattern-specific.

Conclusion: This study provided an in-depth analysis of dyslipidemia subtype patterns among community-dwelling elderly in Eastern China. The findings emphasized that considering gender- and pattern-specific risk factors is crucial in the prevention and management of dyslipidemia among older adults.