Elevated HDL Cholesterol is Functionally Ineffective in Cardiac Transplant Recipients: Evidence for Impaired Reverse Cholesterol Transport

Background. Cardiac transplant recipients frequently have high plasma HDL levels but it is unclear whether these promote a cardioprotective profile. Methods. Parameters of reverse cholesterol transport and endothelial function were compared in 25 cardiac transplant recipients with low (<1.4 mmol/L; n=11) or high (>1.4 mmol/L; n=14) plasma levels of HDL and in a reference healthy group. Results. Patients with high HDL had lower levels of...