Lipoprotein(a) and Metabolic Syndrome

An inverse association between lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) and type 2 diabetes mellitus is well documented. However, data on the association of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) with Lp(a) are sparse.

Cross-sectional data for MetS and Lp(a) were available for 5743 BASE-II and SHIP-0 participants (48.7% men; age 58 [20-85] years) (BASE, Berlin Aging Study; SHIP, Study of Health in Pomerania). The association of MetS and its components with Lp(a) was analyzed by means of median regression adjusted for age, sex, and study. Associations were evaluated for the total population as well as stratified by sex and menopausal status.

Overall, 27.6% (n = 1573) of the participants in the two studies had MetS and 22.5% (n = 1291) were premenopausal women. There was an inverse association between MetS and Lp(a) in the whole study sample (β = -11.9, 95% confidence interval [-21.3; -2.6]) as well as in men (β = -16.5 [-28.6; -4.3]). Participants with MetS (whole study sample) had 11.9 mmol/L lower Lp(a). Analogous results were found in postmenopausal women (β = -25.4 [-46.0; -4.8]). In premenopausal women with MetS, Lp(a) levels were higher by 39.1 mg/L on average [12.3; 65.9]) than in premenopausal women without MetS.

Hormonal aspects and menopausal alterations seem to affect the association between MetS and Lp(a), as the expected inverse association was not present in premenopausal women.