About LDL Particle Number
LDL Particle Number (LDL-P) refers to the concentration of low-density lipoprotein particles in blood serum. Unlike LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), which measures the amount of cholesterol carried by LDL, LDL-P quantifies the number of LDL particles. Each LDL particle can carry varying amounts of cholesterol, hence the number of particles may more accurately reflect cardiovascular disease risk compared to LDL-C.
Reference Values
Optimal Range
Not specified
Elite Value
Not specified
Health Implications
High
Elevated levels may indicate an increased risk for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases due to cholesterol accumulation in arteries.
Low
Low levels may be associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease, but could also suggest underlying conditions such as liver disease or malnutrition.
Symptoms
High
May include poor circulation, chest pain, fatty deposits under the skin, headaches, fatigue.
Low
Can include dizziness, weakness, fainting spells, difficulty concentrating, and confusion.
Lifestyle Factors
Specimen Type
Testing Methods
Also Known As
Scientific Sources
- Sniderman, A. D., Thanassoulis, G., Glavinovic, T., Navar, A. M., Pencina, M., & Catapano, A. L. (2019). Apolipoprotein B Particles and Cardiovascular Disease: A Narrative Review. JAMA Cardiology, 4(12), 1287–1295.
- Mora, S., Otvos, J. D., Rifai, N., Rosenson, R. S., & Buring, J. E. (2019). Lipoprotein Particle Profiles by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Women. Circulation, 139(20), 2377–2386.
- Toth, P. P., Fazio, S., Wong, N. D., Hull, M., Nichols, G. A., & Risk, N. (2020). Risk of cardiovascular events in patients with hypertriglyceridaemia: A review of real-world evidence. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 22(3), 279–289.
- Grundy, S. M., Stone, N. J., Bailey, A. L., Beam, C., Birtcher, K. K., Blumenthal, R. S., ... & Yeboah, J. (2019). 2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA guideline on the management of blood cholesterol: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation, 139(25), e1082–e1143.
- Sniderman, A. D., & Pencina, M. J. (2020). ApoB and the future of lipoprotein analysis. Clinical Chemistry, 66(1), 1–3.