Related Experiment Videos
[Lipoprotein(a) in heterozygote familial hypercholesterolemia]
C A Ochoa Sosa1, J Zamora González, J A González Hermosillo
1Departamento de Endocrinología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, México, D.F.
Insights
Elevated Lipoprotein(a) levels are common in Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) patients, increasing coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. Higher Lp(a) in FH patients with CHD suggests it
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Genetics
- Lipid Metabolism
- Atherosclerosis Research
Background:
- Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder significantly increasing coronary heart disease (CHD) risk.
- Variability in atherosclerosis onset and severity exists among heterozygous FH patients.
- Elevated Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels are increasingly implicated in CHD development within FH populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Lp(a) levels and the presence of CHD in patients with heterozygous FH.
- To determine if Lp(a) serves as a contributing factor to atherosclerosis in FH.
Main Methods:
- Study included 38 heterozygous FH patients (13 with CHD, 25 without) and a control group.
- Measured Lp(a) levels and assessed prevalence of hyper Lp(a) (≥30 mg/dL).
- Correlated Lp(a) levels with CHD presence, age of onset, and other cardiovascular risk factors.
Main Results:
- FH patients exhibited significantly higher Lp(a) levels (median 16 mg/dL) compared to controls (8.1 mg/dL).
- Prevalence of hyper Lp(a) was greater in FH patients (25.7%) versus controls (11.4%).
- FH patients with CHD had higher Lp(a) levels (22.8 mg/dL) than those without CHD (14.4 mg/dL).
- A negative correlation was observed between Lp(a) levels and CHD age of onset in females.
- CHD in FH was linked to male gender, older age, hypertension, higher waist/hip ratio, and dyslipidemia.
Conclusions:
- Lp(a) may function as an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis in patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia.
- Managing Lp(a) levels could be crucial for mitigating CHD risk in FH.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise role of Lp(a) in FH pathogenesis.
Abstract:
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is the genetic lipid disorder with a higher risk to develop coronary heart disease (CHD). In the heterozygous patients there are, however, variability in the atherosclerosis age of onset and severity. In recent years, it has been reported elevated levels of Lp(a) in FH, and it is proposed that this lipoprotein contributes to the development of CHD in these patients. This study evaluates the relationship between Lp(a) levels and the presence of CHD in FH. We included 38 patients with heterozygous FH with or without CHD (13 and 25 respectively), and a control group. In comparison to the control group, FH patients had significant elevated levels of Lp(a) (median 8.1 vs 16 mg/dL), and a greater prevalence of hyper Lp(a) (with a cut-off level of 30 mg/dL) (11.4 vs 25.7%). FH patients with CHD had higher levels of Lp(a) than those without CHD (22.8 vs 14.4 mg/dL). A significative negative correlation between age of onset of CHD and Lp(a) levels was found in females. CHD in FH was associated with male gender, older age, higher prevalence of hypertension, higher waist/hip ratios, higher levels of triglycerides and prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia. Our findings suggest that Lp(a) may play a role as an additional risk factor to develop atherosclerosis in FH.