The Relationship of Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) to Risk Factors of Coronary Heart Disease: Initial results of the prospective epidemiological study on Company employees in Westfalia

Abstract

Lp(a) concentrations were determined in 987 male and 477 female company employees in Westfalia, in the age range 17-70 yr. These values were then related to age and to the following risk factors: obesity, smoking, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, hyperbetalipoproteinemia, hypoalphalipoproteinemia, hyperglycemia and hyperuricemia. The Lp(a) values showed a similar markedly skewed distribution for both men and women. The median for men was 0.039 g/l, for women 0.050 g/l. In both sexes only about 25% of all Lp(a) values were above 0.10 g/l. Raised Lp(a) values (> 0.30 g/l) were found in 6.5% of males and in 6.1% of females. A significantly higher frequency of raised Lp(a) values (> 0.30 g/l) was found in: post-menopausal women (11.3% as against 4.1%, P < 0.01); females with hypercholesterolemia (19.0% when cholesterol values were .gtoreq. 6.73 mmol/l, 10.8% when cholesterol values were between 5.70-6.72 mmol/l, 3.0% when cholesterol values were < 5.70 mmol/l, P < 0.001); and females with hyperbetalipoproteinemia (22.6% when LDL [low density lipoprotein] cholesterol values were .gtoreq. 4.92 mmol/l, 5.0% when LDL cholesterol values were < 4.92 mmol/l, P < 0.001). Of men with hypoalphalipoproteinemia (HDL [high density lipoprotein] cholesterol values < 0.907 mmol/l), 12% had Lp(a) values > 0.30 g/l, as against 5.5% of men with HDL cholesterol values .gtoreq. 0.907 mmol/l (P < 0.01). This percentage rate increased to 16.9% when hypertriglyceridemia (.gtoreq. 2.28 mmol/l triglycerides) was also present. All other risk factors which were examined and their combinations had no significant influence on the prevalence of raised Lp(a) concentrations.