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Figure 1 The Highest CET Rates Are Found Among the Youngest Patients With First MI

Patients without a history of coronary artery disease (n = 347) were divided into tertiles of both non–high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) and HDL2b. The highest cholesteryl ester transfer (CET) rate (nmol/ml/h) was observed in patients with the lowest HDL2b levels and the highest non–HDL-c levels. Numbers at the top of each bar represent mean age to first myocardial infarction (MI) (years). The subgroup with the highest CET rate contains the youngest patients, with an 18-year difference from the subgroup with the lowest CET rate (p < 0.001). Non–HDL-c (mg/dl) tertiles: low <141, medium 142 to 180, and high >181. HDL2b (%) tertiles: low <14.48, medium 14.50 to 20.61, and high >20.72.