The association between lipid profiles and platelet indices among middle-aged and older Chinese

Objective Dyslipidemia has been found to promote platelet activation and aggregation, contributing to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. This study aims to explore the relationship between lipid profiles and platelet indices (PI) among middle-aged and older people without cardiovascular disease (CVD) history. Methods A total of 9,406 individuals from Chongming, Shanghai, meeting the study criteria were included. Serum lipids were measured on an automatic analyzer and platelets indices were measured using an automatic blood cell analyzer. Based on lipid classification, participants were divided into five mutually exclusive groups: normolipidemia, hypercholesterolemia (HC), hypertriglyceridemia (HTG), combined hyperlipidemia (CHL), and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(low-HDL-C). Linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between different lipid levels and platelet indices. Results Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)( β  = 0.165, P  < 0.001), total cholesterol(CHOL)( β  = 0.067, P  < 0.001), and triglycerides(TG)(β = 0.071,P < 0.001) were risk factors for increased PLT and were negatively associated with MPV, while HDL-C was positively correlated with MPV. CHOL and LDL-C were independently associated with decreased PDW, and HDL-C with increased PDW. In stratification analysis, as CHOL and LDL-C levels increased, PLT increased, MPV/PLT and PDW/PLT decreased. Conclusion Changes in lipids significantly affect platelet indices among middle-aged and older Chinese. Especially, elevated LDL-C levels lead to a marked increase in PLT count, potentially guiding clinical lipid management decisions.