Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Volume 49, Issue 2 , Pages 217-222, February 1996

Selective screening for dyslipidemia in a Canadian population☆

  • Bruce A. Reeder

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests and correspondence: Dr. B. A. Reeder, Saskatchewan Heart and Stroke Foundation Epidemiology Unit, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada S7N 0W0.
    • Saskatchewan Heart and Stroke Foundation Epidemiology Unit, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
    • ,
  • Liyan Liu

      Affiliations

    • Saskatchewan Heart and Stroke Foundation Epidemiology Unit, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
    • ,
  • Louis Horlick

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

Received in revised form 28 March 1995

Abstract 

The study assesses the clinical features of individuals that best enable an effective selective screening of the adult population for dyslipidemia. The results of the population-based 1990 Saskatchewan Heart Health Survey were examined. Dyslipidemia was defined as a total cholesterol (TC) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) ratio of ≥5. In total, 805 men and 782 women, 18–74 years of age, had their plasma cholesterol measured. Using TC screening of the entire population as recommended by the Canadian Consensus Conference on Cholesterol would correctly identify 79% of those with dyslipidemia (sensitivity) and 67% of those with a normal profile (specificity). However, if one performs lipoprotein analysis on only those with a high waist-to-hip circumference ratio (WHR), 44% of the population would need to be screened to correctly identify 71% of those with dyslipidemia (sensitivity), and 66% of those with a normal profile (specificity). A high WHR is an especially strong predictor of dyslipidemia in young adults. In conclusion, a high WHR may provide an effective means of selective screening of the adult population for dyslipidemia.

Keywords:  Screening, mass screening, cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases, sensitivity, specificity

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☆ Research funded in part by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan and by the National Health Research and Development Program, Health Canada.

PII: 0895-4356(95)00063-1

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Volume 49, Issue 2 , Pages 217-222, February 1996

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