JACC - HDL Particles & Carotid Disease

"Cholesterol-Overloaded HDL Particles Are Independently Associated With Progression of Carotid Atherosclerosis in a Cardiovascular Disease-Free Population"

"Conclusions  Our findings suggest that cholesterol-overloaded HDL particles are independently associated with the progression of carotid atherosclerosis. This may explain why in recent trials raising HDL cholesterol was not beneficial. This study strongly suggests that the combination of cholesterol content and particle number determines the antiatherogenic function of HDLs, rather than either parameter alone."   

http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleID=2091734