Why We Wanted to Retract Our Own Paper
In a Nutshell
Researchers behind a controversial JACC Advances paper on low-carb hyper-responders (lean individuals with sky-high LDL) are retracting it after discovering anomalies in the unblinded Clearly AI analysis, including zero regressors (everyone progressed), reversal of the "power of zero" (zero CAC predicted more progression), and disagreement with literature. Independent blinded reanalyses (Qangio, HeartFlow, participant-led Clearly) showed near-flat or regressing plaque, contradicting Clearly's results despite repeated offers for Clearly to reanalyze blindly (which they refused). They're proud of prioritizing integrity, with new studies (including controls) underway to clarify plaque progression in high-LDL low-carbers.
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Data was coming back not matching the provided dataset. Initial Clearly dataset overturned. If confident in analysis quality, why not do a check? Analyses outside theirs disagree. No good deed goes unpunished. Gambling heart, not social media points.
Special conversation, cathartic, putting everything on table. 11 months since publishing controversial study in JACC Advances, now pushing to withdraw. Proud and enthusiastic to pull from literature. Co-authors: host and Dave.
Dave Elman, engineer obsessed after high cholesterol on ketogenic diet. Did N=1 experiments, focused on reason and risk for cardiovascular disease in low-carb high-LDL people. That's why did Keto study.
Dave is best friend, like brother, inspiration. Grew up in academia, often disappointing lack of intellectual integrity. Dave from outside academic medicine, no MD/PhD, yet published more in lipidology than prominent critics. Attacks with ferocity of curiosity, always hard questions. Area of research his brainchild: low-carb hyper-responders with sky-high cholesterol.
Studied 100 lean mass hyper-responders on low carb, LDL through roof. Mean baseline LDL 272, top 0.1%. Last paper: average LDL 254, top 10% of top 1% in NHANES (1 in 1000). Wide spread.
Followed over year with high-resolution coronary CT angiography, assessing calcified and soft plaque progression and predictors.
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